Alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system

ABSTRACT

An alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system is disclosed, including: an interactive controller configured to: communicate application telemetry; scan wager outcome instruction for a wager outcome; display the wager outcome; scan an alternate payment offer instruction for an alternate payment offer; display the alternate payment offer; and communicate indication of acceptance of the alternate payment offer; a wager controller constructed to: scan a wager execution instructions for the wager request; determine a wager outcome; communicate wager outcome; and the application controller operatively connecting the interactive controller and the wager controller and constructed to: scan the application telemetry for the wager request; scan the wager outcome for the wager outcome; communicate an alternate payment request instruction; scan an alternate payment offer for the alternate payment offer; communicate the alternate payment offer instruction; scan the indication of acceptance for an acceptance of the alternative payment offer; and communicate an offer acceptance instruction.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of Patent Cooperation Treaty Application No. PCT/US15/20616, filed Mar. 13, 2015, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/952,499, filed Mar. 13, 2014 and also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/955,965, filed Mar. 20, 2014, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention are generally related to communications within data processing systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to the communication and processing of wagering data.

BACKGROUND

The gaming industry has traditionally developed electronic gaming machines that present simple wagering games to a user. The communication and processing needs for these simple wagering games are easily met using conventional processing systems.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,905,405 to McClintic describes a conventional gaming device provided with a central processor (CPU) operably coupled to input logic circuitry and output logic circuitry. The input logic circuitry is employed to operably couple CPU to input devices such as, for example, a touch screen segment or physical button, a coin acceptor, a bill acceptor, a player tracking card reader or a credit/debit card reader. The output logic circuitry is employed to operably couple the CPU with output devices such as, for example, a hopper, a video monitor, meter displays, and a printer. The CPU is also operably coupled to controlling software memory, which includes assigned memory locations storing game software and system software. Such controlling software memory dictates when selected graphics or messages are displayed to a player, as well as when play sequences begin and end and management of wager input and award output. The CPU is also operably coupled to a second memory, which is employed to store data indicative of game statistics, number of plays, number of wins, etc. Controlling software memory, a second memory, or other, ancillary memory store data indicative of winning results, such as data representative of one or more symbol combinations, including winning combinations. Second memory may also be used, for example, to store a bit map of the symbol pattern depicted as a matrix display on video monitor. In operation of the gaming device the CPU carries out instructions of the system software to implement an initial display pattern on the video monitor and to enable the input devices. After a wager is received a player activates an initiator element such as a handle, the physical button or the touch screen to initiate a play sequence. At this point, the game software, in conjunction with a random number generator, generates a random symbol configuration at for a random final outcome comprised of a pattern of symbols for depiction on video monitor. System software then animates the video monitor by simulating the movement of visible representations of symbol carriers including symbols thereon so that the player perceives symbol carrier rotational “movement” of each symbol carrier as well as, optionally, rotational movement of the entire group of symbol carriers about a common axis. Once the visible representations of the symbol carriers have stopped, all of the generated, displayed symbols comprising a winning combination or combinations in the matrix display are identified or flagged. The displayed results (pattern of symbols depicted on the video monitor, which may include symbols received from a remote location, is compared with data stored in game software representing winning combinations to determine if any displayed combination on an active pay line is a winning combination. Any identified winning combination or combinations of symbols are then associated with winnings to be distributed to the player according to a paytable of the game software associated with the various possible winning combinations. The various pay line configurations and required combinations of the various indicia for a winning combination within each pay line reside within the game software and are retrieved for comparison to the randomly generated pattern of indicia depicted on the video monitor.

Operation of another conventional computer gaming system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,602 issued to Wiltshire et al. A game program is executed on server/host computer. It is then determined whether an image is to be displayed on a screen of a client/terminal computer. If so, an image is sent from the server/host computer to client/terminal computer. The image may include any type of graphical information including a bitmap, a JPEG file, a TIFF file or even an encoded audio/video stream such as a compressed video MPEG stream. The image is generated by game computer program and passed to server/host interface program. In turn, the image is transferred over communication pathways to client/terminal computer via the network services provided by server operating system. The image is received by a client/terminal program executing on the client/terminal computer via the network services provided by client operating system. The client/terminal program then causes the image to be displayed on a screen of the client/terminal computer. It is then determined whether an input command has been entered by the patron using the client/terminal computer. The input command may be a keystroke, movement or clicking of the mouse, a voice activated command or even the clicking of a “virtual button” on a touch screen. The client/terminal program causes the input command to be transmitted back to server/host computer via communication pathways, again using network services provided by the client operating system on one end and server operating system on the other. The command is thus received by the server/host interface program, that, in turn, passes the command back to the game program. The game program processes the input command and updates the state of the game accordingly.

However, more complicated wagering games need communication and processing systems that are better suited for implementing these more complicated wagering games. Various aspects of embodiments of the present invention meet such a need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention provide a communication and data processing system constructed for an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system.

An embodiment includes an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system, comprising: an interactive controller configured to: communicate, to an application controller, an application telemetry communication comprising a wager request; scan a wager outcome instruction, from the application controller, for a wager outcome; display the wager outcome; scan an alternate payment offer instruction, from the application controller, for an alternate payment offer; display the alternate payment offer; and communicate, to the application controller, an indication of acceptance of the alternate payment offer communication; a wager controller constructed to: scan a wager execution instructions, from the application controller, for the wager request; determine a wager outcome based on the wager request; communicate, to the application controller, a wager outcome communication comprising the wager outcome; and the application controller operatively connecting the interactive controller and the wager controller and constructed to: scan the application telemetry communication, from the interactive controller, for the wager request; communicate, to the wager controller, the wager execution instructions comprising the wager request; scan the wager outcome communication, from the wager controller, for the wager outcome; communicate, to the interactive controller, the wager outcome instruction comprising the wager outcome; communicate, to an alternate payment controller, an alternate payment request instruction comprising an alternate payment request based on the wager outcome; scan an alternate payment offer communication, from the alternate payment controller, for the alternate payment offer; communicate, to the interactive controller, the alternate payment offer instruction comprising the alternate payment offer; scan the indication of acceptance of the alternative payment offer communication, from the interactive controller, for an acceptance of the alternative payment offer; and communicate, to the alternate payment controller, an alternative payment offer acceptance instruction based on the acceptance of the alternative payment offer.

In a further embodiment, the interactive controller and the application controller are constructed from the same device, and the application controller is operatively connected to the wager controller using a communication link.

In a further embodiment, the wager controller and the application controller are constructed from the same device, and the application controller is operatively connected to the interactive controller using a communication link.

In a further embodiment, the alternate payment offer is a discount on a good or service.

In a further embodiment, the alternate payment offer is for a good or service.

In a further embodiment, the wager controller is constructed to: scan a credit meter adjustment communication, from the alternate payment controller, for a credit meter adjustment; and adjust one or more meters associated with the user based on the credit meter adjustment.

In a further embodiment, the indication of acceptance of the alternate payment offer communication comprises payment information associated with the user.

In a further embodiment, the alternate payment controller is in an unregulated environment and the wager controller is in a regulated environment.

An embodiment includes an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system, comprising: a wager controller of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system constructed to: scan a wager execution instructions, from an application controller, for a wager request; determine a wager outcome based on the wager request; communicate, to the application controller, a wager outcome communication comprising the wager outcome; and the application controller of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system operatively connecting the wager controller to an interactive controller using a communication link, the application controller constructed to: scan an application telemetry communication, from the interactive controller, for the wager request; communicate, to the wager controller, the wager execution instructions comprising the wager request; scan the wager outcome communication, from the wager controller, for the wager outcome; communicate, to the interactive controller, the wager outcome instruction comprising the wager outcome, wherein the interactive controller displays the wager outcome; communicate, to an alternate payment controller, an alternate payment request instruction comprising an alternate payment request based on the wager outcome; scan an alternate payment offer communication, from the alternate payment controller, for an alternate payment offer; communicate, to the interactive controller, an alternate payment offer instruction comprising the alternate payment offer, wherein the interactive controller displays the alternate payment offer; scan the indication of acceptance of the alternative payment offer communication, from the interactive controller, for an acceptance of the alternative payment offer; and communicate, to the alternate payment controller, an alternative payment offer acceptance instruction based on the acceptance of the alternative payment offer.

An embodiment includes an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system, comprising: an interactive controller of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system configured to: communicate, to an application controller, an application telemetry communication comprising a wager request; scan a wager outcome instruction, from the application controller, for a wager outcome; display the wager outcome; scan an alternate payment offer instruction, from the application controller, for an alternate payment offer; display the alternate payment offer; and communicate, to the application controller, an indication of acceptance of the alternate payment offer communication; and the application controller of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system operatively connecting the interactive controller to a wager controller, the application controller constructed to: scan the application telemetry communication, from the interactive controller, for the wager request; communicate, to the wager controller, a wager execution instructions comprising the wager request; scan a wager outcome communication, from the wager controller, for a wager outcome; communicate, to the interactive controller, the wager outcome instruction comprising the wager outcome; communicate, to an alternate payment controller, an alternate payment request instruction comprising an alternate payment request based on the wager outcome; scan an alternate payment offer communication, from the alternate payment controller, for the alternate payment offer; communicate, to the interactive controller, the alternate payment offer instruction comprising the alternate payment offer; scan the indication of acceptance of the alternative payment offer communication, from the interactive controller, for an acceptance of the alternative payment offer; and communicate, to the alternate payment controller, an alternative payment offer acceptance instruction based on the acceptance of the alternative payment offer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a diagram of a structure of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1B is a diagram of a land-based configuration of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1C is another diagram of a land-based configuration of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1D is a diagram of an interactive configuration of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1E is a diagram of a mobile configuration of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D are illustrations of interactive controllers of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are diagrams of distributed alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering systems in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams of a structure of an interactive controller of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams of a structure of a wager controller of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams of a structure of an application controller of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams of a structure of a user management and session controller of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram of interactions between components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a collaboration diagram for components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram of processes and components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram of processes and components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram of processes and components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 13 is a diagram of processes and components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 14 is a sequence diagram of interactions between components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system interleaves wagering with non-wagering activities. In some embodiments of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system an interactive application executed by an interactive controller provides non-wagering components of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system. The interactive controller is operatively connected to an application controller that manages and configures the interactive application of the interactive controller and determines when wagers should be interleaved with the operations of the interactive application. The application controller is further operatively connected to a wager controller that provides one or more wagering propositions for one or more wagers.

In some embodiments, the interactive controller also includes a wagering user interface that is used to display data about a wagering process, including but not limited a wager outcome of a wager made in accordance with a wagering proposition. The content of the wagering user interface is controlled by the application controller and includes content provided by the wager controller.

In several embodiments, a user or user interactions are represented in an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system by the electronic representation of interactions between the user and the interactive application, typically received via a user interface of the interactive application, and a user profile of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system associated with the user.

Many different types of interactive applications may be utilized with the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system. In some embodiments, the interactive application reacts to the physical activity of the user. In these embodiments, the user interacts with the interactive application through one or more sensors that monitor the user's physical activities. Such sensors may include, but are not limited to, physiological sensors that monitor the physiology of the user, environmental sensors that monitor the physical environment of the user, accelerometers that monitor changes in motion of the user, and location sensors that monitor the location of the user such as global positioning sensors.

In some embodiments, the interactive application is a skill-based interactive game that is played by the user.

In some embodiments, the interactive application is a tool used by the user to achieve some useful goal.

In operation, a user interacts with the interactive application using various types of elements of the interactive application in an interactive application environment. Elements are interactive application resources utilized by the user within the interactive application environment to provide an interactive experience for the user. Wagers of credits are made in accordance with a wagering proposition as triggered by the user's use of one or more of the elements of the interactive application. Wager outcomes of wagers of credits made in accordance with the wagering proposition can cause consumption, loss or accrual of credits.

In accordance with some embodiments, wager outcomes of wagering events can influence elements in the interactive application such as, but not limited to, providing one or more new elements, restoring one or more consumed elements, causing the loss of one or more elements, and restoration or placement of one or more fixed elements.

In various embodiments, the wagers may be made using one or more credits (Cr).

In some embodiments, Cr can be one or more credits that are purchased using, and redeemed in, a real world currency having a real world value.

In many embodiments, Cr can be one or more credits in a virtual currency. Virtual currency is an alternate currency that can be acquired, purchased or transferred by or to a user, but does not necessarily directly correlate to a real world currency. In many such embodiments, Cr in a virtual currency are allowed to be purchased using a real world currency but are prevented from being redeemed in a real world currency having a real world value.

In several embodiments, during interaction with the interactive application using the elements, a user can optionally consume and/or accrue application environment credit (AC) within the interactive application as a result of the user's use of the interactive application. AC can be in the form of, but is not limited to, application environment credits, experience points, and points generally.

In various embodiments, when the interactive application is a skill-based interactive game, AC is awarded to a player of the skill-based interactive game on the basis of the player's skillful play of the skill-based interactive game. In such embodiments, AC may be analogous to the score in a typical video game. The skill-based interactive game can have one or more scoring criteria, embedded within an application controller and/or an interactive controller that provides the skill-based interactive game, that reflect user performance against one or more goals of the skill-based interactive game.

In many embodiments, AC can be used to purchase in-application items, including but not limited to, application elements that have particular properties, power ups for existing items, and other item enhancements.

In some embodiments, AC may be used to earn entrance into a sweepstakes drawing, to earn entrance in a tournament with prizes, to score in the tournament, and/or to participate and/or score in any other game event.

In several embodiments, AC can be stored on a user-tracking card or in a network-based user tracking system where the AC is attributed to a specific user.

In many embodiments, a wagering proposition includes a wager of AC for a wager outcome of a randomly generated payout of interactive application AC, elements, and/or objects in accordance with a wagering proposition.

In a number of embodiments, a wager of an amount of Cr results in a wager outcome of a payout of AC, elements, and/or objects that have an Cr value if cashed out.

In some embodiments, in a case that an interactive application is a skill-based interactive game, interactive application objects include in-application objects that may be used by a player of the skill-based interactive game to enhance the player's gameplay of the skill-based interactive game. Such objects include, but are not limited to, power-ups, enhanced in-application items, and the like. In some embodiments, the interactive application objects include objects that are detrimental to the player's play of the skill-based interactive game such as, but not limited to, obstructions in the game space, a temporary player handicap, an enhanced opponent, and the like.

In some embodiments, elements in an interactive application include, but are not limited to, enabling elements (EE) that are interactive application environment resources utilized during the user's use of the interactive application and whose utilization by the user while using the interactive application triggers execution of a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition. In another embodiment, elements in an interactive application include, but are not limited to, a reserve enabling element (REE), that is an element that converts into one or more enabling elements upon occurrence of a release event during an interactive user session. In yet another embodiment, elements in an interactive application include, but are not limited to, an actionable element (AE) that is an element that is acted upon during use of the interactive application to trigger a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition and may or may not be restorable during normal play of the interactive application. In yet another embodiment, elements in an interactive application include, but are not limited to, a common enabling element (CEE) that is an element that may be shared by two or more users and causes a wagering event and associated wager to be triggered in accordance with the wagering proposition when used by one of the users during use of the interactive application. In some embodiments, in progressing through interactive application use, a user can utilize elements during interactions with a controlled entity (CE). A CE is a character, entity, inanimate object, device or other object under control of a user.

In accordance with some embodiments of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system, the triggering of the wagering event and/or wager can be dependent upon an interactive application environment variable such as, but not limited to, a required object (RO), a required environmental condition (REC), or a controlled entity characteristic (CEC). A RO is a specific interactive application object in an interactive application acted upon for an AE to be completed. A non-limiting example of an RO is a specific key needed to open a door. An REC is an interactive application state present within an interactive application for an AE to be completed. A non-limiting example of an REC is daylight whose presence enables a character to walk through woods. A CEC is a status of the CE within an interactive application for an AE to be completed. A non-limiting example of a CEC is requirement that a CE have full health points before entering battle. Although various interactive application resources such as, but not limited to, the types of interactive application elements as discussed herein may be used to trigger a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition, one skilled in the art will recognize that any interactive application resource can be utilized in an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system to trigger of a wager as appropriate to the specification of a specific application in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

In several embodiments, an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system can utilize an application controller to monitor use of the interactive application executed by an interactive controller for detecting a trigger of a wagering event. The trigger for the wagering event can be detected by the application controller from the utilization of the interactive application in accordance with at least one wagering event occurrence rule. The trigger of the wagering event can be communicated to a wager controller. In response to notification of the trigger, the wager controller executes a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition. In addition, use of an interactive application in an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system can be modified by the application controller based upon the wager outcome.

In several embodiments, a wagering event occurrence can be determined from one or more application environment variables within an interactive application that are used to trigger a wager and/or associated wager in accordance with a wagering proposition. Application environment variables can include, but are not limited to, passage of a period of time during alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system interactive application use, a result from an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system interactive application user session (such as, but not limited to, achieving a goal or a particular score), a user action that is a consumption of an element, or a user action that achieves a combination of elements to be associated with a user profile.

In numerous embodiments, an interactive application instruction is an instruction to an interactive controller and/or an interactive application to modify an interactive application state or modify one or more interactive application resources. In some embodiments, the interactive application instructions may be based upon one or more of a wager outcome and application environment variables. An interactive application instruction can modify any aspect of an interactive application, such as, but not limited to, an addition of a period of time available for a current interactive application user session for the interactive application of alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system, an addition of a period of time available for a future alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system interactive application user session or any other modification to the interactive application elements that can be utilized during interactive application use. In some embodiments, an interactive application instruction can modify a type of element whose consumption triggers a wagering event occurrence. In many embodiments, an interactive application instruction can modify a type of element whose consumption is not required in a wagering event occurrence.

In a number of embodiments, a user interface can be utilized that depicts a status of the interactive application in the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system. A user interface can depict any aspect of an interactive application including, but not limited to, an illustration of alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system interactive application use advancement as a user uses the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system.

In some embodiments, an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system including an application controller operatively connected to a wager controller and operatively connected to an interactive controller may provide for interleaving entertainment content from an interactive application. The alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system provides for random wager outcomes in accordance with the wagering proposition that are independent of user skill while providing an interactive experience to the user that may be shaped by the user's skill.

In several embodiments, an application controller of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system may provide for a communications interface for asynchronous communications between a wager controller and an interactive application provided by an interactive controller, by operatively connecting the interactive controller, and thus the interactive controller's interactive application, with the wager controller. In some embodiments, asynchronous communications provided for by an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system may reduce an amount of idle waiting time by an interactive controller of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system, thus increasing an amount of processing resources that the interactive controller may provide to an interactive application or other processes of the interactive controller. In many embodiments, asynchronous communications provided for by an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system reduces an amount of idle waiting time by a wager controller, thus increasing an amount of processing resources that the wager controller may provide to execution of wagers to determine wager outcomes, and other processes provided by the wager controller. In some embodiments, a wager controller of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system may be operatively connected to a plurality of interactive controllers through one or more application controllers and the asynchronous communications provided for by the one or more application controllers allows the wager controller to operate more efficiently and provide wager outcomes to a larger number of interactive controllers than would be achievable without the one or more application controllers of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system.

In some embodiments, an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system including an application controller operatively connected to a wager controller and operatively connected to an interactive controller may provide for simplified communication protocols for communications of the interactive controller as the interactive controller may communicate user interactions with an interactive application provided by the interactive controller to the application controller without regard to a nature of a wagering proposition to be interleaved with processes of the interactive application.

In various embodiments, an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system including an application controller operatively connected to a wager controller and operatively connected to an interactive controller may provide for simplified communication protocols for communications of the wager controller as the wager controller may receive wager requests and communicate wager outcomes without regard to a nature of an interactive application provided by the interactive controller.

Alternate Payment Mechanism Wagering Interleaved Systems

FIG. 1A is a diagram of a structure of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. The alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system 128 includes an interactive controller 120, an application controller 112, and a wager controller 102. The interactive controller 120 is operatively connected to, and communicates with, the application controller 112. The application controller 112 is also operatively connected to, and communicates with, the wager controller 102.

In several embodiments, the wager controller 102 is a controller for providing one or more wagering propositions provided by the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system 128 and executes wagers in accordance with the wagering propositions. Types of value of a wager can be one or more of several different types. Types of value of a wager can include, but are not limited to, a wager of an amount of Cr corresponding to a real currency or a virtual currency, a wager of an amount of AC earned by the player through use of an interactive application, a wager of an amount of elements of an interactive application, and a wager of an amount of objects used in an interactive application. A wager outcome determined for a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition can increase or decrease an amount of the type of value used in the wager, such as, but not limited to, increasing an amount of Cr for a wager of Cr. In various embodiments, a wager outcome determined for a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition can increase or decrease an amount of a type of value that is different than a type of value of the wager, such as, but not limited to, increasing an amount of an object of an interactive application for a wager of Cr.

In many embodiments, the wager controller 120 includes one or more pseudo random or random number generators (P/RNG) 106 for generating random results, one or more paytables 108 for determining a wager outcome from the random results, and one or more credit or value meters 110 for storing amounts of wagered and won credits.

The one or more P/RNG generators 106 execute processes that can generate random or pseudo random results. The one or more paytables 108 are tables that can be used in conjunction with the random or pseudo random results to determine a wager outcome including an amount of Cr, AC, elements or objects won as a function of alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system use. There can be one or more paytables 108 in the wager controller 102. The paytables 108 are used to implement one or more wagering propositions in conjunction with a random output of the random or pseudo random results.

In some embodiments, selection of a paytable to use to execute a wager can be based on factors including, but not limited to, interactive application progress a user has achieved through use of the interactive application, user identification, and eligibility of the user for bonus rounds.

In various embodiments, the interactive controller 120 provides an interactive application 143 and provides human input devices (HIDs) and output devices for interacting with the user 140. The interactive controller 120 provides for user interactions 142 with the interactive application 143 by receiving input from a user through the HIDs and providing outputs such as video, audio and/or other sensory output to the user using the output devices.

The interactive controller 120 is operatively connected to, and communicates with, the application controller 112. The interactive controller communicates an application telemetry communication 124 to the application controller 112 and receives application instructions and resources 136 from the application controller 112. Via the communication of application instructions and resources 136, the application controller 112 can communicate certain interactive application resources including control parameters to the interactive application 143 to affect the interactive application's execution by the interactive controller 120. In various embodiments, these interactive application control parameters can be based on a wager outcome of a wager that was triggered by an element in the interactive application being utilized or acted upon by the user.

In some embodiments, execution of the interactive application by the interactive controller 120 communicates user interactions with the interactive application to the application controller 112. The application telemetry communication 124 includes, but is not limited to, the user's utilization of the elements in the interactive application.

In some embodiments, the interactive application 143 is a skill-based interactive game. In such embodiments, execution of the skill-based interactive game by the interactive controller 120 is based on the user's skillful play of the skill-based interactive game. The interactive controller 120 can also communicate user choices made in the skill-based interactive game to the application controller 112 included in the application telemetry communication 124 such as, but not limited to, the user's utilization of the elements of the skill-based interactive game during the user's skillful play of the skill-based interactive game. In such an embodiment, the application controller is interfaced to the interactive controller 120 in order to allow the coupling of the skill-based interactive game to wagers made in accordance with a wagering proposition.

In some embodiments, the interactive controller 120 includes one or more sensors 138 that sense various aspects of the physical environment of the interactive controller 120. Examples of sensors include, but are not limited to: global positioning sensors (GPSs) for sensing communications from a GPS system to determine a position or location of the interactive controller; temperature sensors; accelerometers; pressure sensors; and the like. Sensor telemetry data 128 is communicated by the interactive controller to the application controller 112. The application controller 112 receives the sensor telemetry data 128 and uses the sensor telemetry data to make wager decisions.

In many embodiments, the interactive controller includes a wagering user interface 148 used to display wagering data to the user.

In various embodiments, an application control layer 131 resident in the interactive controller 120 provides an interface between the interactive controller 120 and the application controller 112. The application control layer 131 implements an interactive controller to application controller communication protocol

Employing a Device-to-Device Communication Protocol

In some embodiments, the application controller 112 includes an interactive controller interface 160 to an interactive controller. The interactive controller interface 160 provides for the communication of data between the interactive controller and the application controller, including but not limited to wager telemetry data 146, application instructions and resources 136, application telemetry communication 124, and sensor telemetry data 128.

In many embodiments, application controller 112 provides an interface between the interactive application 143 provided by the interactive controller 120 and a wagering proposition provided by the wager controller 102.

In various embodiments, the application controller 112 includes a wager controller interface 162 to a wager controller. The wager controller interface 162 provides for communication of data between the application controller 112 and the wager controller, including but not limited to wager outcome communication 130 and wager execution instructions 129.

In some embodiments, the application controller 112 includes a user management and session controller interface 164 to a user management and session controller. The user management and session controller interface 164 provides for communication of data between the application controller 112 and the user management and session controller, including but not limited to user session control data 154 and user session telemetry data 152.

The application controller 112 includes a rule-based decision engine 122 that receives telemetry data, such as application telemetry communication 124 and sensor telemetry data 128, from the interactive controller 120. The rule-based decision engine 122 uses the telemetry data, along with trigger logic 126 to generate wager execution instructions 129 that are used by the application controller 112 to instruct the wager controller 120 to execute a wager. The wager execution data is communicated by the application controller 112 to the wager controller 102. The wager controller 102 receives the wager execution instructions 129 and executes a wager in accordance with the wager execution instructions.

In some embodiments, the application telemetry communication 124 includes, but is not limited to, application environment variables that indicate the state of the interactive application 143 being used by a user 140, interactive controller data indicating the state of the interactive controller, and user actions and interactions 142 between the user and the interactive application 143 provided by the interactive controller 120. The wager execution instructions 129 may include, but are not limited to, an amount and type of the wager, a trigger of the wager, and a selection of a paytable 108 to be used when executing the wager.

In some embodiments, the rule-based decision engine 122 also receives wager outcome communication 130 from the wager controller 102. The decision engine 122 uses the wager outcome communication 130, in conjunction with the telemetry data and application logic 132 to generate application decisions 134 communicated to an application resource generator 138. The application resource generator 138 receives the application decisions and uses the application decisions to generate application instructions and application resources 136 to be communicated to the interactive application 143.

In some embodiments, the wager outcome communication 130 includes game state data about execution of a gambling game that underlies a wagering proposition, including but not limited to a final state, intermediate state and/or beginning state of the gambling game. For example, in a gambling game that is a slot math-based game, the final state of the gambling game may be reel positions, in a gambling game that is a roulette wheel-based game, the final state may be a pocket where a ball may have come to rest, in a gambling game that is a card-based game, the beginning, intermediate and final states may represent a play of cards, etc.

In many embodiments, the application controller 112 includes a pseudo random or random result generator used to generate random results that are communicated to the application resource generator 138. The application resource generator 138 uses the random results to generate application instructions and application resources 136 used by the application controller 112 to instruct the interactive controller 120.

In various embodiments, the rule-based decision engine 122 also determines an amount of AC to award to the user 140 based at least in part on the user's use of the interactive application of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system as determined from the application telemetry communication 124. In some embodiments, wager outcome communication 130 may also be used to determine the amount of AC that should be awarded to the user.

In numerous embodiments, the interactive application is a skill-based interactive game and the AC is awarded to the user for the user's skillful play of the skill-based interactive game.

In some embodiments, the application decisions 134 and wager outcome communication 130 are communicated to a wagering user interface generator 144. The wagering user interface generator 144 receives the application decisions 134 and wager outcome communication 130 and generates wager telemetry instructions 146 used by the application controller 112 to instruct the interactive controller to generate a wagering user interface 148 describing the state of wagering and credit accumulation and loss for the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system. In some embodiments, the wager telemetry data 146 may include, but is not limited to, amounts of AC and elements earned, lost or accumulated by the user through use of the interactive application as determined from the application decisions, and Cr amounts won, lost or accumulated as determined from the wager outcome communication 130 and the one or more meters 110.

In some embodiments, the wager outcome communication 130 also includes data about one or more game states of a gambling game executed in accordance with a wagering proposition by the wager controller 102. In various such embodiments, the wagering user interface generator 144 generates a gambling game process display and/or gambling game state display using the one or more game states of the gambling game. The gambling game process display and/or gambling game state display is included in the wager telemetry data 146 that is communicated to the interactive controller 120. The gambling game process display and/or a gambling game state display is displayed by the wagering user interface 148 to the user 140. In other such embodiments, the one or more game states of the gambling game are communicated to the interactive controller 120 and the interactive controller 120 is instructed to generate the gambling game process display and/or gambling game state display of the wagering user interface 148 using the one or more game states of the gambling game for display to the user 140.

The application controller 112 can further operatively connect to the wager controller 102 to determine an amount of credit or elements available and other wagering metrics of a wagering proposition. Thus, the application controller 112 may potentially affect an amount of Cr in play for participation in the wagering events of a gambling game provided by the wager controller 102 in some embodiments. The application controller 112 may additionally include various audit logs and activity meters. In some embodiments, the application controller 112 can also couple to a centralized server for exchanging various data related to the user and the activities of the user during game play of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system.

In many embodiments, one or more users can be engaged in using the interactive application executed by the interactive controller 120. In various embodiments, an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system can include an interactive application that provides a skill-based interactive game that includes head-to-head play between a single user and a computing device, between two or more users against one another, or multiple users playing against a computer device and/or each other. In some embodiments, the interactive application can be a skill-based interactive game where the user is not skillfully playing against the computer or any other user such as skill-based interactive games where the user is effectively skillfully playing against himself or herself.

In some embodiments, the operation of the application controller 112 does not affect the provision of a wagering proposition by the wager controller 102 except for user choice parameters that are allowable in accordance with the wagering proposition. Examples of user choice parameters include, but are not limited to: wager terms such as but not limited to a wager amount; speed of game play (for example, by pressing a button or pulling a handle of a slot machine); and/or agreement to wager into a bonus round.

In various embodiments, wager outcome communication 130 communicated from the wager controller 102 can also be used to convey a status operation of the wager controller 102.

In a number of embodiments, communication of the wager execution instructions 129 between the wager controller 102 and the application controller 112 can further be used to communicate various wagering control factors that the wager controller 102 uses as input. Examples of wagering control factors include, but are not limited to, an amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects consumed per wagering event, and/or the user's election to enter a jackpot round.

In some embodiments, the application controller 112 utilizes the wagering user interface 148 to communicate certain interactive application data to the user, including but not limited to, club points, user status, control of the selection of choices, and messages which a user can find useful in order to adjust the interactive application experience or understand the wagering status of the user in accordance with the wagering proposition in the wager controller 102.

In some embodiments, the application controller 112 utilizes the wagering user interface 148 to communicate aspects of a wagering proposition to the user including, but not limited to, odds of certain wager outcomes, amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects in play, and amounts of Cr, AC, elements, or objects available.

In a number of embodiments, the wager controller 102 can accept wager proposition factors including, but not limited to, modifications in the amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects wagered on each individual wagering event, a number of wagering events per minute the wager controller 102 can resolve, entrance into a bonus round, and other factors. An example of a varying wager amount that the user can choose can include, but is not limited to, using a more difficult interactive application level associated with an amount of a wager. These factors can increase or decrease an amount wagered per individual wagering proposition in the same manner that a standard slot machine player can decide to wager more or less credits for each pull of the handle. In several embodiments, the wager controller 102 can communicate a number of factors back and forth to the application controller 112, via an interface, such that an increase/decrease in a wagered amount can be related to the change in user profile of the user in the interactive application. In this manner, a user can control a wager amount per wagering event in accordance with the wagering proposition with the change mapping to a parameter or component that is applicable to the interactive application experience.

In some embodiments, a user management and session controller 150 is used to authorize an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system user session. The user management and session controller receives game user session data 152, that may include, but is not limited to, user, interactive controller, application controller and wager controller data from the application controller 112. The user management and session controller 150 uses the user, interactive controller, application controller and wager controller data to regulate an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system user session. In some embodiments, the user management and session controller 150 may also assert control of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system game user session 154. Such control may include, but is not limited to, ending an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system game user session, initiating wagering in an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system game user session, ending wagering in an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system game user session but not ending a user's play of the interactive application portion of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system, and changing from real credit wagering in an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system to virtual credit wagering, or vice versa.

In many embodiments, the user management and session controller 150 manages user profiles for a plurality of users. The user management and session controller 150 stores and manages data about users in order to provide authentication and authorization of users of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system 128. In some embodiments, the user management and session controller 150 also manages geolocation information to ensure that the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system i128 is only used by users in jurisdictions were gaming is approved. In various embodiments, the user management and session controller 150 stores application credits that are associated with the user's use of the interactive application of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system 128.

In various embodiments, the application controller operates as an interface between the interactive controller and the wager controller. By virtue of this construction, the wager controller is isolated from the interactive controller allowing the interactive controller to operate in an unregulated environment will allowing the wager controller to operate in a regulated environment.

In some embodiments, a single wager controller may provide services to two or more interactive controllers and/or two or more application controllers, thus allowing an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system to operate over a large range of scaling.

In various embodiments, multiple types of interactive controllers using different operating systems may be interfaced to a single type of application controller and/or wager controller without requiring customization of the application controller and/or the wager controller.

In many embodiments, an interactive controller may be provided as a user device under control of a user while maintaining the wager controller in an environment under the control of a regulated operator of wagering equipment.

In several embodiments, data communicated between the controllers may be encrypted to increase security of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system.

In some embodiments, the application controller isolates trigger logic and application logic as unregulated logic from a regulated wager controller, thus allowing errors in the application logic and/or trigger logic to be corrected, new application logic and/or trigger logic to be used, or modifications to be made to the application logic and/or trigger logic without a need for regulatory approval.

In various embodiments, an interactive application may require extensive processing resources from an interactive controller leaving few processing resources for the functions performed by an application controller and/or a wager controller. By virtue of the architecture described herein, processing loads may be distributed across multiple devices such that operations of the interactive controller may be dedicated to the interactive application and the processes of the application controller and/or wager controller are not burdened by the requirements of the interactive application.

In many embodiments, an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system operates with its components being distributed across multiple devices. These devices can be connected by communication channels including, but not limited to, local area networks, wide area networks, local communication buses, and/or the like. The devices may communicate using various types of protocols, including but not limited to, networking protocols, device-to-device communications protocols, and the like.

In some embodiments, one or more components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system are distributed in close proximity to each other and communicate using a local area network and/or a communication bus. In several embodiments, an interactive controller and an application controller of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system are in a common location and communicate with an external wager controller. In some embodiments, an application controller and a wager controller of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system are in a common location and communicate with an external interactive controller. In many embodiments, an interactive controller, an application controller, and a wager controller of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system are located in a common location. In some embodiments, a user management and session controller is located in a common location with an application controller and/or a wager controller.

In various embodiments, These multiple devices can be constructed from or configured using a single server or a plurality of servers such that an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system is executed as a system in a virtualized space such as, but not limited to, where a wager controller and an application controller are large scale centralized servers in the cloud operatively connected to widely distributed interactive controllers via a wide area network such as the Internet or a local area network. In such embodiments, the components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system may communicate using a networking protocol or other type of device-to-device communications protocol.

In many embodiments, a centralized wager controller is operatively connected to, and communicates with, one or more application controllers using a communication link. The centralized wager controller can generate wager outcomes for wagers in accordance with one or more wagering propositions. The centralized wager controller can execute a number of simultaneous or pseudo-simultaneous wagers in order to generate wager outcomes for a variety of wagering propositions that one or more distributed alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering systems can use.

In several embodiments, a centralized application controller is operatively connected to one or more interactive controllers and one or more wager controllers using a communication link. The centralized application controller can perform the functionality of an application controller across various alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering systems.

In a variety of embodiments, management of user profile data can be performed by a user management and session controller operatively connected to, and communicating with, one or more application controllers, wager controllers and interactive controllers using a communication link. A user management and session controller can manage data related to a user profile. The managed data in the user profile may include, but is not limited to, data concerning controlled entities (characters) in interactive application use, user performance metrics for a type or class of interactive application, interactive application elements acquired by a user; Cr and AC associated with a particular user, and tournament reservations.

Although a user management and session controller is discussed as being separate from an application controller server, a centralized application controller server may also perform the functions of a user management and session controller in some embodiments.

In numerous embodiments, an interactive application server provides a host for managing head-to-head play operating over a network of interactive controllers connected to the interactive application server using a communication link. The interactive application server provides an environment where users can compete directly with one another and interact with other users.

Processing devices connected using a communication link to construct alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering systems in accordance with many embodiments of the invention can communicate with each other to provide services utilized by an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system. In several embodiments, a wager controller can communicate with an application controller using a communication link. In some embodiments, the wager controller can communicate with an application controller to communicate any type of data as appropriate for a specific application. Examples of the data that may be communicated include, but are not limited to, data used to configure the various simultaneous or pseudo simultaneous wager controllers executing in parallel within the wager controller to accomplish alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system functionalities; data used to determine metrics of wager controller performance such as wagers run and/or wager outcomes for tracking system performance; data used to perform audits and/or provide operator reports; and data used to request the results of a wager outcome for use in one or more function(s) operating within the application controller such as, but not limited to, automatic drawings for prizes that are a function of interactive controller performance.

In several embodiments, an application controller can communicate with an interactive application server using a communication link when the interactive application server is also communicating with one or more interactive controllers using a communication link. An application controller can communicate with an interactive application server to communicate any type of data as appropriate for a specific application. The data that may be communicated between an application controller and an interactive application server includes, but is not limited to, the data for management of an interactive application server by an application controller server during an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system tournament. In an example embodiment, an application controller may not be aware of the relationship of the application controller to the rest of a tournament since the actual tournament play may be managed by the interactive application server. Therefore, management of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system can include, but is not limited to tasks including, but not limited to, conducting tournaments according to system programming that can be coordinated by an operator of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system; allowing entry of a particular user into a tournament; communicating the number of users in a tournament; and the status of the tournament (such as, but not limited to the amount of surviving users, the status of each surviving user within the game, and time remaining on the tournament); communicating the performance of users within the tournament; communicating the scores of the various users in the tournament; and providing a synchronizing link to connect the application controllers in a tournament with their respective interactive controllers.

In several embodiments, an application controller can communicate with a user management and session controller using a communication link. An application controller can communicate with a user management and session controller to communicate any type of data as appropriate for a specific application. Examples of data communicated between an application controller and a user management and session controller include, but are not limited to, data for configuring tournaments according to system programming conducted by an operator of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system; data for exchange of data used to link a user's user profile to an ability to participate in various forms of alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system use (such as but not limited to the difficulty of play set by the application controller server for an interactive application that is a skill-based interactive game); data for determining a user's ability to participate in a tournament as a function of a user's characteristics (such as but not limited to a user's prowess or other metrics used for tournament screening); data for configuring application controller and interactive controller performance to suit preferences of a user on a particular alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system; and data for determining a user's use and wagering performance for the purposes of marketing intelligence; and data for logging secondary drawing awards, tournament prizes, Cr and/or AC into the user profile.

In many embodiments, an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system can be distributed across one or more processing devices, with the actual location of where various process are executed being located either on an end device (user management and session controller, wager controller, application controller, interactive controller), on servers (user management and session controller, wager controller, application controller, or interactive application server), or a combination of both end devices and servers. In a number of embodiments, certain functions of a wager controller, application controller, and/or interactive application server can operate on a local wager controller, local application controller and/or local interactive controller used to construct an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system being provided locally on a device. In some embodiments, a controller or server can be part of a server system including multiple servers, where applications can be run on one or more physical devices. Similarly, in particular embodiments, multiple servers can be combined on a single physical device.

In many embodiments, an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system can be distributed across one or more processing devices that are in close proximity to each other, such as a common enclosure. In such an embodiment, the one or more processing devices can be operatively connected using communication links that incorporate an interdevice communication protocol over a serial or parallel physical link.

FIG. 1B is a diagram of a land-based configuration of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. Land-based configurations are suitable for deployment in a gaming establishment. A land-based configuration of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system 156 includes an interactive controller 158, an application controller 160 and a wager controller 162 housed in a common enclosure. The application controller 160 is operatively connected to an external session/user management controller 164. The wager controller 162 is operatively connected to a ticket-in-ticket-out (TITO) controller 166 or other type of credit controller. The wager controller 162 communicates with the TITO controller 166 to obtain amounts of credits used for wagering. In operation, the wager controller 162 uses a bill validator/ticket scanner 168 to scan a TITO ticket having indicia of credit account data of a credit account of the TITO controller 166. The wager controller 162 communicates the credit account data to the TITO controller 166. The TITO controller 166 uses the credit account data to determine an amount of credits to transfer to the wager controller 162. The TITO controller 166 communicates the amount of credits to the wager controller 162. The wager controller 162 credits the one or more credit meters with the amount of credits so that the credits can be used when a user makes wagers using the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system 156. In addition, the wager controller 162 can use the TITO controller 166 along with a ticket printer 170 to generate a TITO ticket for a user. In operation, the wager controller 162 communicates an amount of credits for a credit account on the TITO controller 166. The TITO controller 166 receives the amount of credits and creates the credit account and credits the credit account with the amount of credits. The TITO controller 166 generates credit account data for the credit account and communicates the credit account data to the wager controller 162. The wager controller 162 uses the ticket printer 170 to print indicia of the credit account data onto a TITO ticket.

FIG. 1B is a diagram of another land-based configuration of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. A land-based configuration of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system 172 includes an interactive controller 172, an application controller 174 and a wager controller 176 housed in a common enclosure. The application controller 174 is operatively connected to an external session/user management controller 178. The wager controller 176 is operatively connected to a ticket-in-ticket-out (TITO) controller 180 or other type of credit controller. The wager controller 176 communicates with the TITO controller 180 to obtain amounts of credits used for wagering. In operation, the wager controller 176 uses a bill validator/ticket scanner 182 to scan a TITO ticket having indicia of credit account data of a credit account of the TITO controller 180. The wager controller 176 communicates the credit account data to the TITO controller 180. The TITO controller 180 uses the credit account data to determine an amount of credits to transfer to the wager controller 176. The TITO controller 180 communicates the amount of credits to the wager controller 176. The wager controller 176 receives the amount of credits and credits the one or more credit meters with the amount of credits so that the credits can be used when a user makes wagers using the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system 172. In addition, the wager controller 176 can use the TITO controller 180 along with a ticket printer 184 to generate a TITO ticket for a user. In operation, the wager controller 176 communicates an amount of credits for a credit account on the TITO controller 180. The TITO controller 180 receives the amount of credits and creates the credit account and credits the credit account with the amount of credits. The TITO controller 180 generates credit account data for the credit account and communicates the credit account data to the wager controller 176. The wager controller 176 uses the ticket printer 184 to print indicia of the credit account data onto a TITO ticket.

The wager controller 176 is operatively connected to a central determination controller 186. In operation, when the wager controller 176 needs to determine a wager outcome, the wager controller communicates a request to the central determination controller 186 for the wager outcome. The central determination controller 186 receives the wager outcome request and generates a wager outcome in response to the wager request. The central determination controller 186 communicates the wager outcome to the wager controller 176. The wager controller 176 receives the wager outcome and utilizes the wager outcome as described herein. In some embodiments, the wager outcome is drawn from a pool of pre-determined wager outcomes. In some embodiments, the wager outcome is a pseudo random result or random result that is utilized by the wager controller along with paytables to determine a wager outcome as described herein.

FIG. 1D is a diagram of an interactive configuration of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. An interactive configuration of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system is useful for deployment over a wide area network such as an internet. An interactive configuration of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system 188 includes an interactive controller 189 operatively connected by a network 190 to an application controller 191, and a wager controller 192. The application controller 191 is operatively connected to a session/user management controller 193.

FIG. 1E is a diagram of a mobile configuration of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. A mobile configuration of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system is useful for deployment over wireless communication network, such as a wireless local area network or a wireless telecommunications network. An interactive configuration of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system 194 includes an interactive controller 195 operatively connected by a wireless network 196 to an application controller 197, and a wager controller 198. The application controller 197 is also operatively connected to a session/user management controller 199.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D are illustrations of interactive controllers of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. An interactive controller, such as interactive controller 120 of FIG. 1A, may be constructed from or configured using one or more processing devices configured to perform the operations of the interactive controller. An interactive controller in an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system may be constructed from or configured using any processing device having sufficient processing and communication capabilities that may be configured to perform the processes of an interactive controller in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, the construction or configuration of the interactive controller may be achieved through the use of an application control layer, such as application control layer 131 of FIG. 1A, and/or through the use of an interactive application, such as interactive application 143 of FIG. 1A.

In some embodiments, an interactive controller may be constructed from or configured using an electronic gaming machine 200 as shown in FIG. 2A. The electronic gaming machine 200 may be physically located in various types of gaming establishments.

In many embodiments, an interactive controller may be constructed from or configured using a portable device 202 as shown in FIG. 2B. The portable device 202 is a device that may wirelessly connect to a network. Examples of portable devices include, but are not limited to, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant, and a smartphone.

In some embodiments, an interactive controller may be constructed from or configured using a gaming console 204 as shown in FIG. 2C.

In various embodiments, an interactive controller may be constructed from or configured using a personal computer 206 as shown in FIG. 2D.

In some embodiments, a device, such as the devices of FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D, may be used to construct a complete alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system and may be operatively connected using a communication link to a session and/or user management controller, such as session and/or user management controller 150 of FIG. 1A.

Some alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering systems in accordance with many embodiments of the invention can be distributed across a plurality of devices in various configurations. FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are diagrams of distributed alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering systems in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. Turning now to FIG. 3A, one or more interactive controllers of a distributed alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system, such as but not limited to, a mobile or wireless device 300, a gaming console 302, a personal computer 304, and an electronic gaming machine 305, are operatively connected with a wager controller 306 of a distributed alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system using a communication link 308. Communication link 308 is a communications link that allows processing systems to communicate with each other and to share data. Examples of the communication link 308 can include, but are not limited to: a wired or wireless interdevice communication link, a serial or parallel interdevice communication bus; a wired or wireless network such as a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), or the link; or a wired or wireless communication network such as a wireless telecommunications network or plain old telephone system (POTS). In some embodiments, one or more processes of an interactive controller and an application controller as described herein are executed on the individual interactive controllers 300, 302, 304 and 305 while one or more processes of a wager controller as described herein can be executed by the wager controller 306.

In many embodiments, a distributed alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system and may be operatively connected using a communication link to a session and/or user management controller 307, that performs the processes of a session and/or user management controller as described herein.

A distributed alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 3B. As illustrated, one or more interactive controllers of a distributed alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system, such as but not limited to, a mobile or wireless device 310, a gaming console 312, a personal computer 314, and an electronic gaming machine 315, are operatively connected with a wager controller server 316 and an application controller 318 over a communication link 320. Communication link 320 is a communication link that allows processing systems to communicate and share data. Examples of the communication link 320 can include, but are not limited to: a wired or wireless interdevice communication link, a serial or parallel interdevice communication bus; a wired or wireless network such as a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), or the link; or a wired or wireless communication network such as a wireless telecommunications network or plain old telephone system (POTS). In some embodiments, the processes of an interactive controller as described herein are executed on the individual interactive controllers 310, 312, 314 and 315. One or more processes of a wager controller as described herein are executed by the wager controller 316, and one or more processes of an application controller as described herein are executed by the application controller 318.

In many embodiments, a distributed alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system and may be operatively connected using a communication link to a session and/or user management controller 319, that performs the processes of a session and/or user management controller as described herein.

A distributed alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering systems in accordance with still another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 3C. As illustrated, one or more interactive controllers of a distributed alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system, such as but not limited to, a mobile device 342, a gaming console 344, a personal computer 346, and an electronic gaming machine 340 are operatively connected with a wager controller 348 and an application controller 350, and an interactive application server 352 using a communication link 354. Communication link 354 is a communications link that allows processing systems to communicate and to share data. Examples of the communication link 354 can include, but are not limited to: a wired or wireless interdevice communication link, a serial or parallel interdevice communication bus; a wired or wireless network such as a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), or the link; or a wired or wireless communication network such as a wireless telecommunications network or plain old telephone system (POTS). In some embodiments, one or more processes of a display and user interface of an interactive controller as described herein are executed on the individual interactive controllers 340, 342, 344 and 346. One or more processes of a wager controller as described herein can be executed by the wager controller server 348. One or more processes of an application controller as described herein can be executed by the application controller server 350 and one or more processes of an interactive controller excluding the display and user interfaces can be executed by the interactive application server 352.

In many embodiments, a distributed alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system and may be operatively connected using a communication link to a session and/or user management controller 353, that performs the processes of a session and/or user management controller as described herein.

In various embodiments, a user management and session controller may be operatively connected to components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system using a communication link. In other embodiments, a number of other peripheral systems, such as a user management system, a gaming establishment management system, a regulatory system, and/or hosting servers are also operatively connected with the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering systems using a communication link. Also, other servers can reside outside the bounds of a network within a firewall of the operator to provide additional services for network connected alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering systems.

Although various distributed alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering systems are described herein, alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering systems can be distributed in any configuration as appropriate to the specification of a specific application in accordance with embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, components of a distributed alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system, such as an application controller, wager controller, interactive controller, or other servers that perform services for an application controller, wager controller and/or interactive controller, can be distributed in different configurations for a specific distributed alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system application.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams of a structure of an interactive controller of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. An interactive controller may be constructed from or configured using one or more processing devices configured to perform the operations of the interactive controller. In many embodiments, an interactive controller can be constructed from or configured using various types of processing devices including, but not limited to, a mobile device such as a smartphone or the like, a personal digital assistant, a wireless device such as a tablet computer or the like, an electronic gaming machine, a personal computer, a gaming console, a set-top box, a computing device, a controller, or the like.

Referring now to FIG. 4A, an interactive controller 400, suitable for use as interactive controller 120 of FIG. 1A, provides an execution environment for an interactive application 402 of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system. In several embodiments, an interactive controller 400 of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system provides an interactive application 402 that generates an application user interface 404 for interaction with by a user. The interactive application 402 generates a user presentation 406 that is presented to the user through the application user interface 404. The user presentation 406 may include audio features, visual features or tactile features, or any combination of these features. The application user interface 404 further includes one or more human input devices (HIDs) interfaces that communicate with one or more HIDs (e.g., the input devices 514 of FIG. 4b ) that the user can use to interact with the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system. The user's interactions 408 are included by the interactive application 402 in application telemetry communication 410 that is communicated by interactive controller 400 to various other components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system as described herein. The interactive application 402 receives application instructions and resources 412 communicated from various other components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system as described herein.

In some embodiments, various components of the interactive application 402 can read data from an application state 414 in order to provide one or more features of the interactive application. In various embodiments, components of the interactive application 402 can include, but are not limited to, a physics engine, a rules engine, and/or a graphics engine. The physics engine is used to simulate physical interactions between virtual objects in the interactive application 402. The rules engine implements the rules of the interactive application and a P/RNG that may be used for influencing or determining certain variables and/or outcomes to provide a randomizing influence on the operations of the interactive application. The graphics engine is used to generate a visual representation of the interactive application state to the user. Furthermore, the components may also include an audio engine to generate audio outputs for the user interface.

During operation, the interactive application reads and writes application resources 416 stored on a data store of the interactive controller host. The application resources 416 may include objects having graphics and/or control logic used to provide application environment objects of the interactive application. In various embodiments, the resources may also include, but are not limited to, video files that are used to generate a portion of the user presentation 406; audio files used to generate music, sound effects, etc. within the interactive application; configuration files used to configure the features of the interactive application; scripts or other types of control code used to provide various features of the interactive application; and graphics resources such as textures, objects, etc. that are used by a graphics engine to render objects displayed in an interactive application.

In operation, components of the interactive application 402 read portions of the application state 414 and generate the user presentation 406 for the user that is presented to the user using the user interface 404. The user perceives the user presentation and provides user interactions 408 using the HIDs. The corresponding user interactions are received as user actions or inputs by various components of the interactive application 402. The interactive application 402 translates the user actions into interactions with the virtual objects of the application environment stored in the application state 414. Components of the interactive application use the user interactions with the virtual objects of the interactive application and the interactive application state 414 to update the application state 414 and update the user presentation 406 presented to the user. The process loops continuously while the user interacts with the interactive application of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system.

The interactive controller 400 provides one or more interfaces 418 between the interactive controller 400 and other components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system, such as, but not limited to, an application controller. The interactive controller 400 and the other alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system components communicate with each other using the interfaces. The interface may be used to pass various types of data, and to communicate and receive messages, status data, commands and the like. In certain embodiments, the interactive controller 400 and an application controller communicate application instructions and environment resources 412 and application telemetry communication 410. In some embodiments, the communications include requests by the application controller that the interactive controller 400 update the application state 414 using data provided by the application controller.

In many embodiments, a communication by an application controller includes a request that the interactive controller 400 update one or more resources 416 using data provided by the application controller. In a number of embodiments, the interactive controller 400 provides all or a portion of the application state to the application controller. In some embodiments, the interactive controller 400 may also provide data about one or more of the application resources 416 to the application controller. In some embodiments, the communication includes user interactions that the interactive controller 400 communicates to the application controller. The user interactions may be low level user interactions with the user interface 404, such as manipulation of a HID, or may be high level interactions with game objects as determined by the interactive application. The user interactions may also include resultant actions such as modifications to the application state 414 or game resources 416 resulting from the user's interactions taken in the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system interactive application. In some embodiments, user interactions include, but are not limited to, actions taken by entities such as non-player characters (NPC) of the interactive application that act on behalf of or under the control of the user.

In some embodiments, the interactive controller 400 includes a wagering user interface 420 used to communicate alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system telemetry data 422 to and from the user. The alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system telemetry data 422 from the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system include, but are not limited to, data used by the user to configure Cr, AC and element wagers, and data about the gambling game Cr, AC and element wagers such as, but not limited to, Cr, AC and element balances and Cr, AC and element amounts wagered.

In some embodiments, the interactive controller includes one or more sensors 424. Such sensors may include, but are not limited to, physiological sensors that monitor the physiology of the user, environmental sensors that monitor the physical environment of the interactive controller, accelerometers that monitor changes in motion of the interactive controller, and location sensors that monitor the location of the interactive controller such as global positioning sensors (GPSs). The interactive controller 400 communicates sensor telemetry data 426 to one or more components of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system.

Referring now to FIG. 4B, interactive controller 400 includes a bus 502 that provides an interface for one or more processors 504, random access memory (RAM) 506, read only memory (ROM) 508, machine-readable storage medium 510, one or more user output devices 512, one or more user input devices 514, and one or more communication interface devices 516.

The one or more processors 504 may take many forms, such as, but not limited to: a central processing unit (CPU); a multi-processor unit (MPU); an ARM processor; a controller; a programmable logic device; or the like.

In the example embodiment, the one or more processors 504 and the random access memory (RAM) 506 form an interactive controller processing unit 599. In some embodiments, the interactive controller processing unit includes one or more processors operatively connected to one or more of a RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storage medium; the one or more processors of the interactive controller processing unit receive instructions stored by the one or more of a RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storage medium via a bus; and the one or more processors execute the received instructions. In some embodiments, the interactive controller processing unit is an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit). In some embodiments, the interactive controller processing unit is a SoC (System-on-Chip).

Examples of output devices 512 include, but are not limited to, display screens; light panels; and/or lighted displays. In accordance with particular embodiments, the one or more processors 504 are operatively connected to audio output devices such as, but not limited to: speakers; and/or sound amplifiers. In accordance with many of these embodiments, the one or more processors 504 are operatively connected to tactile output devices like vibrators, and/or manipulators.

Examples of user input devices 514 include, but are not limited to: tactile devices including but not limited to, keyboards, keypads, foot pads, touch screens, and/or trackballs; non-contact devices such as audio input devices; motion sensors and motion capture devices that the interactive controller can use to receive inputs from a user when the user interacts with the interactive controller; physiological sensors that monitor the physiology of the user; environmental sensors that monitor the physical environment of the interactive controller; accelerometers that monitor changes in motion of the interactive controller; and location sensors that monitor the location of the interactive controller such as global positioning sensors.

The one or more communication interface devices 516 provide one or more wired or wireless interfaces for communicating data and commands between the interactive controller 400 and other devices that may be included in an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system. Such wired and wireless interfaces include, but are not limited to: a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface; a Bluetooth interface; a Wi-Fi interface; an Ethernet interface; a Near Field Communication (NFC) interface; a plain old telephone system (POTS) interface, a cellular or satellite telephone network interface; and the like.

The machine-readable storage medium 510 stores machine-executable instructions for various components of the interactive controller, such as but not limited to: an operating system 518; one or more device drivers 522; one or more application programs 520 including but not limited to an interactive application; and alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system interactive controller instructions and data 524 for use by the one or more processors 504 to provide the features of an interactive controller as described herein. In some embodiments, the machine-executable instructions further include application control layer/application control interface instructions and data 526 for use by the one or more processors 504 to provide the features of an application control layer/application control interface as described herein.

In various embodiments, the machine-readable storage medium 510 is one of a (or a combination of two or more of) a hard drive, a flash drive, a DVD, a CD, a flash storage, a solid state drive, a ROM, an EEPROM, and the like.

In operation, the machine-executable instructions are loaded into memory 506 from the machine-readable storage medium 510, the ROM 508 or any other storage location. The respective machine-executable instructions are accessed by the one or more processors 504 via the bus 502, and then executed by the one or more processors 504. Data used by the one or more processors 504 are also stored in memory 506, and the one or more processors 504 access such data during execution of the machine-executable instructions. Execution of the machine-executable instructions causes the one or more processors 504 to control the interactive controller 400 to provide the features of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system interactive controller as described herein

Although the interactive controller is described herein as being constructed from or configured using one or more processors and instructions stored and executed by hardware components, the interactive controller can be constructed from or configured using only hardware components in accordance with other embodiments. In addition, although the storage medium 510 is described as being operatively connected to the one or more processors through a bus, those skilled in the art of interactive controllers will understand that the storage medium can include removable media such as, but not limited to, a USB memory device, an optical CD ROM, magnetic media such as tape and disks. In some embodiments, the storage medium 510 can be accessed by the one or more processors 504 through one of the communication interface devices 516 or using a communication link. Furthermore, any of the user input devices or user output devices can be operatively connected to the one or more processors 504 via one of the communication interface devices 516 or using a communication link.

In some embodiments, the interactive controller 400 can be distributed across a plurality of different devices. In many such embodiments, an interactive controller of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system includes an interactive application server operatively connected to an interactive client using a communication link. The interactive application server and interactive application client cooperate to provide the features of an interactive controller as described herein.

In various embodiments, the interactive controller 400 may be used to construct other components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system as described herein.

In some embodiments, components of an interactive controller and an application controller of an alternate payment mechanism wagering interleaved system may be constructed from or configured using a single device using processes that communicate using an interprocess communication protocol. In other such embodiments, the components of an interactive controller and an application controller of an alternate payment mechanism wagering interleaved system may communicate by passing messages, parameters or the like.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams of a structure of a wager controller of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. A wager controller may be constructed from or configured using one or more processing devices configured to perform the operations of the wager controller. In many embodiments, a wager controller can be constructed from or configured using various types of processing devices including, but not limited to, a mobile device such as a smartphone or the like, a personal digital assistant, a wireless device such as a tablet computer or the like, an electronic gaming machine, a personal computer, a gaming console, a set-top box, a computing device, a controller, or the like.

Referring now to FIG. 5A, in various embodiments, a wager controller 604, suitable for use as wager controller 102 of FIG. 1A, includes a pseudorandom or random number generator (P/RNG) 620 to produce random results or pseudo random results; one or more paytables 623 which includes a plurality of factors indexed by the random result to be multiplied with an amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects committed in a wager; and a wagering control module 622 whose processes may include, but are not limited to, generating random results, looking up factors in the paytables, multiplying the factors by an amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects wagered, and administering one or more Cr, AC, element, or object meters 626. The various wager controller components can interface with each other via an internal bus 625 and/or other appropriate communication mechanism.

An interface 628 allows the wager controller 604 to operatively connect to an external device, such as one or more application controllers as described herein. The interface 628 provides for receiving of wager execution instructions 629 from the external device that is used to specify wager parameters and/or trigger execution of a wager by the wager controller 604. The interface 628 may also provide for communicating wager outcome communication 631 to an external device. In numerous embodiments, the interface between the wager controller 604 and other systems/devices may be a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet. However, other methods of communication may be used including, but not limited to, a local area network (LAN), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, and/or some other method by which two electronic devices could communicate with each other.

In various embodiments, a wager controller 604 may use a P/RNG provided by an external system. The external system may be connected to the wager controller 604 by a suitable communication network such as a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN). In some embodiments, the external P/RNG is a central deterministic system that provides random or pseudo random results to one or more connected wager controllers.

During operation of the wager controller, the external system communicates wager execution instructions 629 to the wager controller 604. The wager controller 604 receives the wager execution instructions and uses the wager execution instructions to trigger execution of a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition. The wager controller 604 executes the wager and determines a wager outcome for the wager. The wager controller communicates wager outcome communication 631 of the wager outcome to the external system.

In some embodiments, the wager controller uses the wager execution instructions to select a paytable 628 to use and/or an amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects to wager.

In some embodiments, the wager outcome communication may include, but is not limited to, an amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects won in the wager.

In various embodiments, the wager outcome communication may include, but is not limited to, an amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects in the one or more meters 626.

In some embodiments, the wager outcome communication includes state data for the wagering proposition of the executed wager. The state data may correspond to one or more game states of a gambling game that is associated with the wagering proposition. Examples of state data include, but are not limited to, reel strips in an operation state or a final state for a reel-based gambling game, one or more dice positions for a dice-based gambling game, positions of a roulette wheel and roulette ball, position of a wheel of fortune, or the like.

In various embodiments, the wagering control module 622 determines an amount of a wager and a paytable to use from the one or more paytables 623. In such embodiments, in response to the wager execution instructions triggering execution of the wager, the wager control module 622 executes the wager by requesting a P/RNG result from the P/RNG 620; retrieving a paytable from the one or more paytables 623; adjusting the one or more credit meters 626 for an amount of the wager; applying the P/RNG result to the retrieved paytable; multiplying the resultant factor from the paytable by an amount wagered to determine a wager outcome; updating the one or more meters 626 based on the wager outcome; and communicating the wager outcome to the external device.

In various embodiments, an external system communicates a request for a P/RNG result from the wager controller 604. In response, the wager controller 604 returns a P/RNG result as a function of an internal P/RNG or a P/RNG external to the external system to which the wager controller 604 is operatively connected.

In some embodiments, a communication exchange between the wager controller 604 and an external system relate to the external system support for coupling a P/RNG result to a particular paytable contained in the wager controller 604. In such an exchange, the external system communicates to the wager controller 604 as to which of the one or more paytables 623 to use, and requests a result whereby the P/RNG result would be associated with the requested paytable 623. The result of the coupling is returned to the external system. In such an exchange, no actual Cr, AC, element, or object wager is conducted, but might be useful in coupling certain non-value wagering interactive application behaviors and propositions to the same final resultant wagering return which is understood for the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system to conduct wagering.

In some embodiments, the wager controller 604 may also include storage for statuses, wagers, wager outcomes, meters and other historical events in a storage device 616.

In some embodiments, an authorization access module provides a process to permit access and command exchange with the wager controller 604 and access to the one or more credit meters 626 for the amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects being wagered by the user in the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system.

In numerous embodiments, communication occurs between various types of a wager controller and an external system 630, such as application controller. In some of these embodiments, the purpose of the wager controller is to allocate wagers to pools, detect occurrences of one or more events upon which the wagers were made, and determine the wager outcomes for each individual wager based on the number of winning wagers and the amount paid into the pool.

In some embodiments, the wager controller manages accounts for individual users wherein the users make deposits into the accounts, amounts are deducted from the accounts, and amounts are credited to the users' accounts based on the wager outcomes.

In some embodiments a wager controller is a pari-mutuel wagering system such as used for wagering on an events such as horse races, greyhound races, sporting events and the like. In a pari-mutuel wagering system, user's wagers on the outcome of an event are allocated to a pool. When the event occurs, wager outcomes are calculated by sharing the pool among all winning wagers.

In various embodiments, a wager controller is a central determination system, such as but not limited to a central determination system for a Class II wagering system or a wagering system in support of a “scratch off” style lottery. In such a wagering system, a player plays against other players and competes for a common prize. In a given set of wager outcomes, there are a certain number of wins and losses. Once a certain wager outcome has been determined, the same wager outcome cannot occur again until a new set of wager outcomes is generated.

In numerous embodiments, communication occurs between various components of a wager controller 604 and an external system, such as an application controller. In some of these embodiments, the purpose of the wager controller 604 is to manage wagering on wagering events and to provide random (or pseudo random) results from a P/RNG.

Referring now to FIG. 5B, wager controller 604 includes a bus 732 that provides an interface for one or more processors 734, random access memory (RAM) 736, read only memory (ROM) 738, machine-readable storage medium 740, one or more user output devices 742, one or more user input devices 744, and one or more communication interface and/or network interface devices 746.

The one or more processors 734 may take many forms, such as, but not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), a multi-processor unit (MPU), an ARM processor, a controller, a programmable logic device, or the like.

In the example embodiment, the one or more processors 734 and the random access memory (RAM) 736 form a wager controller processing unit 799. In some embodiments, the wager controller processing unit includes one or more processors operatively connected to one or more of a RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storage medium; the one or more processors of the wager controller processing unit receive instructions stored by the one or more of a RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storage medium via a bus; and the one or more processors execute the received instructions. In some embodiments, the wager controller processing unit is an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit). In some embodiments, the wager controller processing unit is a SoC (System-on-Chip).

Examples of output devices 742 include, but are not limited to, display screens, light panels, and/or lighted displays. In accordance with particular embodiments, the one or more processors 734 are operatively connected to audio output devices such as, but not limited to speakers, and/or sound amplifiers. In accordance with many of these embodiments, the one or more processors 734 are operatively connected to tactile output devices like vibrators, and/or manipulators.

Examples of user input devices 734 include, but are not limited to, tactile devices including but not limited to, keyboards, keypads, touch screens, and/or trackballs; non-contact devices such as audio input devices; motion sensors and motion capture devices that the wager controller can use to receive inputs from a user when the user interacts with the wager controller 604.

The one or more communication interface and/or network interface devices 746 provide one or more wired or wireless interfaces for exchanging data and commands between the wager controller 604 and other devices that may be included in an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system. Such wired and wireless interfaces include, but are not limited to: a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface; a Bluetooth interface; a Wi-Fi interface; an Ethernet interface; a Near Field Communication (NFC) interface; a plain old telephone system (POTS) interface; a cellular or satellite telephone network interface; and the like.

The machine-readable storage medium 740 stores machine-executable instructions for various components of a wager controller, such as but not limited to: an operating system 748; one or more application programs 750; one or more device drivers 752; and alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system wager controller instructions and data 754 for use by the one or more processors 734 to provide the features of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system wager controller as described herein.

In various embodiments, the machine-readable storage medium 740 is one of a (or a combination of two or more of) a hard drive, a flash drive, a DVD, a CD, a flash storage, a solid state drive, a ROM, an EEPROM, and the like.

In operation, the machine-executable instructions are loaded into memory 736 from the machine-readable storage medium 740, the ROM 738 or any other storage location. The respective machine-executable instructions are accessed by the one or more processors 734 via the bus 732, and then executed by the one or more processors 734. Data used by the one or more processors 734 are also stored in memory 736, and the one or more processors 734 access such data during execution of the machine-executable instructions. Execution of the machine-executable instructions causes the one or more processors 734 to control the wager controller 604 to provide the features of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system wager controller as described herein

Although the wager controller 604 is described herein as being constructed from or configured using one or more processors and machine-executable instructions stored and executed by hardware components, the wager controller can be composed of only hardware components in accordance with other embodiments. In addition, although the storage medium 740 is described as being operatively connected to the one or more processors through a bus, those skilled in the art of processing devices will understand that the storage medium can include removable media such as, but not limited to, a USB memory device, an optical CD ROM, magnetic media such as tape and disks. In some embodiments, the storage medium 740 can be accessed by the one or more processors 734 through one of the interfaces or using a communication link. Furthermore, any of the user input devices or user output devices can be operatively connected to the one or more processors 734 via one of the interfaces or using a communication link.

In various embodiments, the wager controller 604 may be used to construct other components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system as described herein.

In some embodiments, components of a wager controller and an application controller of an alternate payment mechanism wagering interleaved system may be constructed from or configured using a single device using processes that communicate using an interprocess communication protocol. In other such embodiments, the components of a wager controller and an application controller of an alternate payment mechanism wagering interleaved system may communicate by passing messages, parameters or the like.

It should be understood that there may be many embodiments of a wager controller 604 which could be possible, including forms where many modules and components of the wager controller are located in various servers and locations, so the foregoing is not meant to be exhaustive or all inclusive, but rather provide data on various embodiments of a wager controller 604.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams of a structure of an application controller of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. An application controller may be constructed from or configured using one or more processing devices configured to perform the operations of the application controller. In many embodiments, an application controller can be constructed from or configured using various types of processing devices including, but not limited to, a mobile device such as a smartphone, a personal digital assistant, a wireless device such as a tablet computer or the like, an electronic gaming machine, a personal computer, a gaming console, a set-top box, a computing device, a controller, or the like.

Referring now to FIG. 6A, in many embodiments, an application controller 860, suitable for use as application controller 112 of FIG. 1A, manages operation of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system, with a wager controller and an interactive controller being support units to the application controller 860. The application controller 860 provides an interface between the interactive application, provided by an interactive controller, and a wagering proposition, provided by a wager controller.

In some embodiments, the application controller 860 includes an interactive controller interface 800 to an interactive controller. The interactive controller interface 800 provides for communication of data between an interactive controller and the application controller 860, including but not limited to wager telemetry data 802, application instructions and resources 804, application telemetry communication 806, and sensor telemetry data 810.

In various embodiments, the application controller 860 includes a wager controller interface 812 to a wager controller. The wager controller interface 812 provides for communication of data between the application controller 860 and a wager controller, including but not limited to wager outcomes 814 and wager execution instructions 816.

In some embodiments, the application controller 860 includes a user management and session controller interface 818 to a user management and session controller. The user management and session controller interface 818 provides for communication of data between the application controller 860 and a user management and session controller, including but not limited to user session control data 820 and user session telemetry data 822.

The application controller 860 includes a business rule decision engine 824 that receives telemetry data, such as application telemetry communication and sensor telemetry data, from an interactive controller. The business rule decision engine 824 uses the telemetry data, along with trigger logic 826 to generate wager execution instructions used to trigger a wager in a wager controller.

In some embodiments, the application telemetry communication includes, but is not limited to, application environment variables that indicate the state of an interactive application being used by a user, interactive controller data indicating a state of an interactive controller, and user actions and interactions between a user and an interactive application provided by an interactive controller. The wagering and/or wager execution instructions may include, but is not limited to, an amount and type of the wager, a trigger of the wager, and a selection of a paytable to be used when executing the wager.

In some embodiments, the business rule decision engine 824 also receives wager outcome communication from a wager controller. The decision engine 824 uses the wager outcome communication, in conjunction with telemetry data and application logic 828 to generate application decisions 830 communicated to an application resource generator 832. The application resource generator 832 receives the application decisions and uses the application decisions to generate application instructions and application resources to be communicated to an interactive application.

In many embodiments, the application controller 860 includes a pseudo random or random result generator used to generate random results that are communicated to the application resource generator 832. The application resource generator uses the random results to generate application instructions and application resources to be communicated to an interactive controller for use by an interactive application.

In various embodiments, the business rule decision engine 824 also determines an amount of AC to award to a user based at least in part on the user's use of an interactive application of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system as determined from application telemetry communication. In some embodiments, wager outcome communication may also be used to determine the amount of AC that should be awarded to the user.

In numerous embodiments, an interactive application is a skill-based interactive game and the AC is awarded to the user for the user's skillful play of the skill-based interactive game.

In some embodiments, the application decisions and wager outcome communication are communicated to a wagering user interface generator 834. The wagering user interface generator 834 receives the application decisions and wager outcome communication and generates wager telemetry data describing the state of wagering and credit accumulation and loss for the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system. In some embodiments, the wager telemetry data 146 may include, but is not limited to, amounts of AC and elements earned, lost or accumulated by the user through use of the interactive application as determined from the application decisions, and Cr amounts won, lost or accumulated as determined from the wager outcome communication and the one or more credit meters.

In some embodiments, the wager outcome communication 814 also includes data about one or more game states of a gambling game executed in accordance with a wagering proposition by a wager controller. In various such embodiments, the wagering user interface generator 834 generates a gambling game process display and/or gambling game state display using the one or more game states of the gambling game. The gambling game process display and/or gambling game state display is included in wager telemetry data that is communicated to an interactive controller. The gambling game process display and/or a gambling game state display is displayed by a wagering user interface of the interactive controller to a user. In other such embodiments, the one or more game states of the gambling game are communicated to an interactive controller and a wagering user interface of the interactive controller generates a gambling game process display and/or gambling game state display using the one or more game states of the gambling game for display to a user.

The application controller 860 can further operatively connect to a wager controller to determine an amount of credit or elements available and other wagering metrics of a wagering proposition. Thus, the application controller 860 may potentially affect an amount of Cr in play for participation in the wagering events of a gambling game provided by the wager controller. The application controller 860 may additionally include various audit logs and activity meters. In some embodiments, the application controller 860 can also couple to a centralized server for exchanging various data related to the user and the activities of the user during game play of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system.

In some embodiments, the operation of the application controller 860 does not affect the provision of a wagering proposition by a wager controller except for user choice parameters that are allowable in accordance with the wagering proposition. Examples of user choice parameters include, but are not limited to: wager terms such as but not limited to a wager amount; speed of game play (for example, by pressing a button or pulling a handle of a slot machine); and/or agreement to wager into a bonus round.

In a number of embodiments, communication of wager execution instructions between a wager controller and the application controller 860 can further be used to communicate various wagering control factors that the wager controller uses as input. Examples of wagering control factors include, but are not limited to, an amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects consumed per wagering event, and/or the user's election to enter a jackpot round.

In some embodiments, the application controller 860 utilizes a wagering user interface to communicate certain interactive application data to the user, including but not limited to, club points, user status, control of the selection of user choices, and messages which a user can find useful in order to adjust the interactive application experience or understand the wagering status of the user in accordance with the wagering proposition in the wager controller.

In some embodiments, the application controller 860 utilizes a wagering user interface to communicate aspects of a wagering proposition to the user including, but not limited to, odds of certain wager outcomes, amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects in play, and amounts of Cr, AC, elements, or objects available.

In a number of embodiments, a wager controller can accept wager proposition factors including, but not limited to, modifications in the amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects wagered on each individual wagering event, a number of wagering events per minute the wager controller can resolve, entrance into a bonus round, and other factors. In several embodiments, the application controller 860 can communicate a number of factors back and forth to the wager controller, such that an increase/decrease in a wagered amount can be related to the change in user profile of the user in the interactive application. In this manner, a user can control a wager amount per wagering event in accordance with the wagering proposition with the change mapping to a parameter or component that is applicable to the interactive application experience.

Referring now to FIG. 6B, application controller 860 includes a bus 861 providing an interface for one or more processors 863, random access memory (RAM) 864, read only memory (ROM) 865, machine-readable storage medium 866, one or more user output devices 867, one or more user input devices 868, and one or more communication interface and/or network interface devices 869.

The one or more processors 863 may take many forms, such as, but not limited to: a central processing unit (CPU); a multi-processor unit (MPU); an ARM processor; a programmable logic device; or the like.

Examples of output devices 867 include, include, but are not limited to: display screens; light panels; and/or lighted displays. In accordance with particular embodiments, the one or more processors 863 are operatively connected to audio output devices such as, but not limited to: speakers; and/or sound amplifiers. In accordance with many of these embodiments, the one or more processors 863 are operatively connected to tactile output devices like vibrators, and/or manipulators.

In the example embodiment, the one or more processors 863 and the random access memory (RAM) 864 form an application controller processing unit 870. In some embodiments, the application controller processing unit includes one or more processors operatively connected to one or more of a RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storage medium; the one or more processors of the application controller processing unit receive instructions stored by the one or more of a RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storage medium via a bus; and the one or more processors execute the received instructions. In some embodiments, the application controller processing unit is an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit). In some embodiments, the application controller processing unit is a SoC (System-on-Chip).

Examples of user input devices 868 include, but are not limited to: tactile devices including but not limited to, keyboards, keypads, foot pads, touch screens, and/or trackballs; non-contact devices such as audio input devices; motion sensors and motion capture devices that the application controller can use to receive inputs from a user when the user interacts with the application controller 860.

The one or more communication interface and/or network interface devices 869 provide one or more wired or wireless interfaces for exchanging data and commands between the application controller 860 and other devices that may be included in an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system. Such wired and wireless interfaces include, but are not limited to: a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface; a Bluetooth interface; a Wi-Fi interface; an Ethernet interface; a Near Field Communication (NFC) interface; a plain old telephone system (POTS), cellular, or satellite telephone network interface; and the like.

The machine-readable storage medium 866 stores machine-executable instructions for various components of the application controller 860 such as, but not limited to: an operating system 871; one or more applications 872; one or more device drivers 873; and alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system application controller instructions and data 874 for use by the one or more processors 863 to provide the features of an application controller as described herein.

In various embodiments, the machine-readable storage medium 870 is one of a (or a combination of two or more of) a hard drive, a flash drive, a DVD, a CD, a flash storage, a solid state drive, a ROM, an EEPROM, and the like.

In operation, the machine-executable instructions are loaded into memory 864 from the machine-readable storage medium 866, the ROM 865 or any other storage location. The respective machine-executable instructions are accessed by the one or more processors 863 via the bus 861, and then executed by the one or more processors 863. Data used by the one or more processors 863 are also stored in memory 864, and the one or more processors 863 access such data during execution of the machine-executable instructions. Execution of the machine-executable instructions causes the one or more processors 863 to control the application controller 860 to provide the features of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system application controller as described herein.

Although the application controller 860 is described herein as being constructed from or configured using one or more processors and instructions stored and executed by hardware components, the application controller can be composed of only hardware components in accordance with other embodiments. In addition, although the storage medium 866 is described as being operatively connected to the one or more processors through a bus, those skilled in the art of application controllers will understand that the storage medium can include removable media such as, but not limited to, a USB memory device, an optical CD ROM, magnetic media such as tape and disks. Also, in some embodiments, the storage medium 866 may be accessed by processor 863 through one of the interfaces or using a communication link. Furthermore, any of the user input devices or user output devices may be operatively connected to the one or more processors 863 via one of the interfaces or using a communication link.

In various embodiments, the application controller 860 may be used to construct other components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system as described herein.

In some embodiments, components of an interactive controller and an application controller of an alternate payment mechanism wagering interleaved system may be constructed from or configured using a single device using processes that communicate using an interprocess communication protocol. In other such embodiments, the components of an interactive controller and an application controller of an alternate payment mechanism wagering interleaved system may communicate by passing messages, parameters or the like.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams of a structure of a user management and session controller of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. A user management and session controller may be constructed from or configured using one or more processing devices configured to perform the operations of the user management and session controller. In many embodiments, a wager user session can be constructed from or configured using various types of processing devices including, but not limited to, a mobile device such as a smartphone or the like, a personal digital assistant, a wireless device such as a tablet computer or the like, an electronic gaming machine, a personal computer, a gaming console, a set-top box, a computing device, a controller, a server, or the like.

Referring now to FIG. 7A, in various embodiments, a user management and session controller 1104, suitable for use as user management and session controller 150 of FIG. 1A, includes a user management and session control module 1106 whose processes may include, but are not limited to, registering users of an alternate payment mechanism wagering interleaved system, validating users of an alternate payment mechanism wagering interleaved system using user registration data, managing various types of user sessions for users of the alternate payment mechanism wagering interleaved system, and the like.

The user management and session controller 1104 may further include a datastore 1108 storing user data used to manage user registration and validation. The user management and session controller 1104 may further include a datastore 1110 storing user session data used to manage one or more user sessions.

The various user management and session controller components can interface with each other via an internal bus 1112 and/or other appropriate communication mechanism.

An interface 1114 allows the user management and session controller 1104 to operatively connect to one or more external devices, such as one or more application controllers, wager controllers and/or interactive controllers as described herein. The interface provides for receiving session telemetry data 1116 from the one more external devices. The user session telemetry data includes, but is not limited to, amounts of AC earned by one or more users, requests for entering into an alternate payment mechanism user session as described herein, and telemetry data regarding the progress of one or more users during an alternate payment mechanism user session. The interface 1114 may also provide for communicating secession control data 1118 used to manage a user session.

In numerous embodiments, the interface between the user management and session controller and other systems/devices may be a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet. However, other methods of communication may be used including, but not limited to, a local area network (LAN), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, and/or some other method by which two electronic devices could communicate with each other.

During operation of the user management and session controller, the external system communicates user session telemetry data to the user management and session controller. The user management and session controller receives the user session telemetry data and uses the user session telemetry data to generate user session control data as described herein. The user management and session controller communicates the user session control data to the external system.

Referring now to FIG. 7B, user management and session controller 1104 includes a bus 1132 that provides an interface for one or more processors 1134, random access memory (RAM) 1136, read only memory (ROM) 1138, machine-readable storage medium 1140, one or more user output devices 1142, one or more user input devices 1144, and one or more communication interface and/or network interface devices 1146.

The one or more processors 1134 may take many forms, such as, but not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), a multi-processor unit (MPU), an ARM processor, a controller, a programmable logic device, or the like.

In the example embodiment, the one or more processors 1134 and the random access memory (RAM) 1136 form a user management and session controller processing unit 1199. In some embodiments, the user management and session controller processing unit includes one or more processors operatively connected to one or more of a RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storage medium; the one or more processors of the user management and session controller processing unit receive instructions stored by the one or more of a RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storage medium via a bus; and the one or more processors execute the received instructions. In some embodiments, the user management and session controller processing unit is an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit). In some embodiments, the user management and session controller processing unit is a SoC (System-on-Chip).

Examples of output devices 1142 include, but are not limited to, display screens, light panels, and/or lighted displays. In accordance with particular embodiments, the one or more processors 1134 are operatively connected to audio output devices such as, but not limited to speakers, and/or sound amplifiers. In accordance with many of these embodiments, the one or more processors 1134 are operatively connected to tactile output devices like vibrators, and/or manipulators.

Examples of user input devices 1144 include, but are not limited to, tactile devices including but not limited to, keyboards, keypads, touch screens, and/or trackballs; non-contact devices such as audio input devices; motion sensors and motion capture devices that the user management and session controller can use to receive inputs from a user when the user interacts with the user management and session controller 1104.

The one or more communication interface and/or network interface devices 1146 provide one or more wired or wireless interfaces for exchanging data and commands between the user management and session controller 1104 and other devices that may be included in an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system. Such wired and wireless interfaces include, but are not limited to: a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface; a Bluetooth interface; a Wi-Fi interface; an Ethernet interface; a Near Field Communication (NFC) interface; a plain old telephone system (POTS) interface; a cellular or satellite telephone network interface; and the like.

The machine-readable storage medium 1140 stores machine-executable instructions for various components of a user management and session controller, such as but not limited to: an operating system 1148; one or more application programs 1150; one or more device drivers 1152; and alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system user management and session controller instructions and data 1154 for use by the one or more processors 1134 to provide the features of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system user management and session controller as described herein.

In various embodiments, the machine-readable storage medium 1140 is one of a (or a combination of two or more of) a hard drive, a flash drive, a DVD, a CD, a flash storage, a solid state drive, a ROM, an EEPROM, and the like.

In operation, the machine-executable instructions are loaded into memory 736 from the machine-readable storage medium 1140, the ROM 1138 or any other storage location. The respective machine-executable instructions are accessed by the one or more processors 1134 via the bus 1132, and then executed by the one or more processors 1134. Data used by the one or more processors 1134 are also stored in memory 1136, and the one or more processors 1134 access such data during execution of the machine-executable instructions. Execution of the machine-executable instructions causes the one or more processors 1134 to control the user management and session controller 1104 to provide the features of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system user management and session controller as described herein

Although the user management and session controller 1104 is described herein as being constructed from or configured using one or more processors and machine-executable instructions stored and executed by hardware components, the user management and session controller can be composed of only hardware components in accordance with other embodiments. In addition, although the storage medium 1140 is described as being operatively connected to the one or more processors through a bus, those skilled in the art of processing devices will understand that the storage medium can include removable media such as, but not limited to, a USB memory device, an optical CD ROM, magnetic media such as tape and disks. In some embodiments, the storage medium 1140 can be accessed by the one or more processors 1134 through one of the interfaces or using a communication link. Furthermore, any of the user input devices or user output devices can be operatively connected to the one or more processors 1134 via one of the interfaces or using a communication link.

In various embodiments, the user management and session controller 1104 may be used to construct other components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system as described herein.

In some embodiments, components of a user management and session controller and an application controller of an alternate payment mechanism wagering interleaved system may be constructed from or configured using a single device using processes that communicate using an interprocess communication protocol. In other such embodiments, the components of a user management and session controller and an application controller of an alternate payment mechanism wagering interleaved system may communicate by passing messages, parameters or the like.

In some embodiments, components of a user management and session controller and a wager controller of an alternate payment mechanism wagering interleaved system may be constructed from or configured using a single device using processes that communicate using an interprocess communication protocol. In other such embodiments, the components of a user management and session controller and an application controller of an alternate payment mechanism wagering interleaved system may communicate by passing messages, parameters or the like.

It should be understood that there may be many embodiments of a user management and session controller 1104 which could be possible, including forms where many modules and components of the user management and session controller are located in various servers and locations, so the foregoing is not meant to be exhaustive or all inclusive, but rather provide data on various embodiments of a user management and session controller 1104.

In numerous embodiments, any of a wager controller, an application controller, an interactive controller, or a user management and session controller as described herein can be constructed from or configured using multiple processing devices, whether dedicated, shared, or distributed in any combination thereof, or can be constructed from or configured using a single processing device. In addition, while certain aspects and features of alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system processes described herein have been attributed to a wager controller, an application controller, an interactive controller, or a user management and session controller, these aspects and features can be provided in a distributed form where any of the features or aspects can be provided by any of a user management and session controller, a wager controller, an application controller, and/or an interactive controller within an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system without deviating from the spirit of the invention.

Although various components of alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering systems are discussed herein, alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering systems can be configured with any component as appropriate to the specification of a specific application in accordance with embodiments of the invention. In certain embodiments, components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system, such as a user management and session controller, an application controller, a wager controller, and/or an interactive controller, can be configured in different ways for a specific alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system.

In some embodiments, components of a user management and session controller, an interactive controller, an application controller, and/or a wager controller of an alternate payment mechanism wagering interleaved system may be constructed from or configured using a single device using processes that communicate using an interprocess communication protocol. In many embodiments, the components of a user management and session controller, an interactive controller, an application controller and a wager controller of an alternate payment mechanism wagering interleaved system may communicate by passing messages, parameters or the like.

In addition, while certain aspects and features of alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system processes described herein have been attributed to a user management and session controller, a wager controller, an application controller, or an interactive controller, these aspects and features can be provided in a distributed form where any of the features or aspects can be provided by any of a user management and session controller, a wager controller, an application controller, and/or an interactive controller within an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system.

Operation of Alternate Payment Mechanism Wagering Interleaved Systems

FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram of interactions between components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. The components of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system include a wager controller 902, such as wager controller 102 of FIG. 1A, an application controller 904, such as application controller 112 of FIG. 1A, and an interactive controller 906, such as interactive controller 120 of FIG. 1A. The process begins with the interactive controller 906 detecting a user performing a user interaction in a user interface of an interactive application provided by the interactive controller 906. The interactive controller 906 communicates application telemetry communication 908 to the application controller 904. The application telemetry communication includes, but is not limited to, the user interaction detected by the interactive controller 906.

The application controller 904 receives the application telemetry communication 908. Upon determination by the application controller 904 that the user interaction indicates a wagering event, the application controller 904 generates wager execution instructions including a wager request 912 that the application controller 904 uses to instruct the wager controller 902 to execute a wager. The request for a wager event may include wager terms associated with a wagering proposition. The application controller 904 communicates the wager execution instructions to the wager controller 902.

The wager controller 902 receives the wager execution instructions 912 and uses the wager execution instructions to execute (913) a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition. The wager controller 902 communicates a wager outcome 914 of the executed wager to the application controller 904.

The application controller 904 receives the wager outcome and generates (915) interactive application instructions and resources 916 for the interactive application. The application controller 904 uses the interactive application instructions and resources 916 to instruct the interactive controller. The application controller communicates the interactive application instructions and resources 916 to the interactive controller 906. The application controller also communicates wagering telemetry data 920 including the wager outcome to the interactive controller 906.

The interactive controller 906 receives the interactive application instructions and resources 916 and wagering telemetry data 918. The interactive controller 906 incorporates the received interactive application resources and executes the received interactive application instructions (918). The interactive controller updates (922) an application user interface of the interactive application provided by the interactive controller using the interactive application instructions and the resources, and updates (922) a wagering user interface using the wagering telemetry data.

In several embodiments, a user can interact with an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system by using Cr for wagering in accordance with a wagering proposition along with AC and elements in interactions with an interactive application. Wagering can be executed by a wager controller while an interactive application can be executed by an interactive controller and managed with an application controller.

FIG. 9 is a collaboration diagram that illustrates how resources such as AC, Cr, elements, and objects are utilized in an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. The collaboration diagram 1000 illustrates that Cr 1002, interactive application resources including elements and objects 1004 and AC 1006 can be utilized by a user 1008 in interactions with a wager controller 1010, such as wager controller 102 of FIG. 1A, an application controller 1012, such as wager controller 112 of FIG. 1, and an interactive controller 1014, such as interactive controller 120 of FIG. 1A, of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system. The contribution of elements and objects such as included in resources 1004, can be linked to a user's access to credits, such as Cr 1002 and/or AC 1006. Electronic receipt of these credits can come via a smart card, voucher or other portable media, or as received using a communication link from a server. In some embodiments, these credits can be drawn on demand from a user profile located in a database locally on an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system or in a remote server.

A user's actions and/or decisions can affect an interactive application of interactive controller 1014 that consume and/or accumulate AC 1004 and/or resources 1004 in an interactive application executed by an interactive controller 1014, a wager controller 101 and an application controller 1012. The application controller 1012 can monitor the activities taking place within an interactive application executed by an interactive controller 1014 for wagering event occurrences. The application controller 1012 can also communicate the wagering event occurrences to the wager controller 1010 that triggers a wager of Cr 1002 in accordance with a wagering proposition executed by the wager controller 1010.

In several embodiments, the user commences interaction with the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system by contributing credit to an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system such as, but not limited to, Cr 1002 that may be credit in a real currency or may be credit in a virtual currency that is not fungible with a real currency, AC 1006 that may be application environment credits, and specified types of interactive application elements and/or objects 1004. One or more of these contributions may be provided directly as currency and/or transferred in electronically. Electronic transfer may come via a smart card, voucher or other portable media, or as transferred in using a communication link from a user data server or alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system user management and session controller. In many embodiments, contributions may be drawn on demand from user accounts located in servers residing on the network or in the cloud on a real time basis as the credits, elements and/or object are committed or consumed by the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system. Generally, Cr is utilized and accounted for by the wager controller 1010; and the resources 1004 and AC 1006 are utilized and accounted for by the application controller 1012 and/or the interactive controller 1014.

The user interacts (a) with an interactive application provided by the interactive controller 1014 with the interaction representing an action by the user within the context of the interactive application. The interactive controller 1014 receives the user interaction and communicates (b) the interaction to the application controller 1012. The application controller 1012 receives the interaction and determines from the interaction whether or not a wager should be triggered. If a wager should be triggered, the application controller 1012 instructs (c) the wager controller 1010 to execute a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition associated with the interaction and thereby triggers a wager. The wager controller receives the wager execution instructions and executes the wager in accordance with the wagering proposition, and consumes (d) an appropriate amount of Cr 1002 for the wager. The wager controller 1010 adjusts (e) the Cr 1002 based upon a wager outcome of the wager and communicates (f) the wager outcome to the application controller 1012 as to the outcome of the wager triggered by the application controller 1012. The application controller 1012 receives the wager outcome. The application controller determines what resources 1004 should be provided to the interactive controller, generates the resources 1004 and application instructions and instructs (g) the interactive controller 1014 using the resources 1004 and application instructions. The interactive controller receives the resources 1004 and application instructions from the application controller 1012 and integrates them into the execution of the interactive application provided by the interactive controller 1014.

In some embodiments, the application controller 1012 communicates (h) data about the wager outcome to the interactive controller. The interactive controller receives the wager outcome and displays the wager outcome to the user 1008.

In some embodiments, the application controller 1012 determines what resources and instructions to provide to the interactive controller 1014 for use by the interactive application provided by the interactive controller 1014 partially on the basis of the wager outcome. In some such embodiments, resources are provided in a case that the wager was a winning wager for the user. In other such embodiments, fewer or no resources are provided in a case of a losing wager.

In some embodiments, the application controller 1012 determines what resources to provide based on internal logic of the application controller 1012. In some such embodiments, the application controller 1012 employs a random result generator, such as a P/RNG, to generate a random result and the random result is used to determine what resources are provided to the interactive controller 1014.

In several embodiments, the application controller 1012 determines an increment or a decrement of an amount of AC 1006 using the interactions received from the interactive controller. The increment or decremented amount is communicated (i) to the interactive controller for display to the user.

In some embodiments, the application controller 1012 executes a wager of Cr as a virtual currency, AC, elements or objects. In some such embodiments, the application controller 1012 employs a random result generator, such as a P/RNG, to generate a random result and the random result is used to determine a wager outcome in Cr as a virtual currency, AC, elements or objects.

The following is description of an embodiment of the described collaboration where an interactive application provided by an interactive controller of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system is a first person shooter game. The process begins by a user selecting a machine gun to use in the game and then fires a burst of bullets at an opponent. The interactive controller can communicate to the application controller of the user's choice of weapon, that a burst of bullets was fired, and/or the outcome of the burst. The application controller communicates to the wager controller that 3 credits (Cr) are to be wagered on the outcome of a wagering event to match the three bullets consumed. The wager controller then performs the wagering event and determines the result of the wager and may determine the winnings from a paytable. The wager controller consumes 3 credits of Cr for the wager and executes the specified wager. By way of example, the wager controller may determine that the user hit a jackpot of 6 credits and returns the 6 credits to the Cr and communicates to the application controller that 3 net credits were won by the user.

The application controller communicates to the interactive controller to add 3 bullets to an ammunition clip. The interactive controller adds 3 bullets back to the ammo clip. The ammunition may be added by directly adding the ammunition to the clip or by allowing the user to find extra ammunition during use. The application controller logs the new user score (AC) in the game (as a function of the successful hit on the opponent) based on the interactive controller communication, and adds 2 extra points to the user score since a jackpot has been won. The application controller then adds 10 points to the user score (AC) given the success of the hit which in this example is worth 8 points, plus the 2 extra point. Note that this example is only intended to provide an illustration of how credits flow in an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system, but is not intended to be exhaustive and only lists only one of numerous possibilities of how an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system may be configured to manage its fundamental credits.

In many embodiments, user management and session controller 1020, such as user account controller 150 of FIG. 1A, of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system is used to store AC for use of the user. In such an embodiment, AC is generated by the application controller based on the user's use of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system and an amount of the AC is communicated to the user management and session controller 1020. The user management and session controller stores the amount of AC between user sessions. In some embodiments, the user management and session controller communicates an amount of AC to the application controller at the start of a user session for use by the user during a user session.

In some embodiments of an interleaved wagering system (land based or network based), a winning wager outcome results in a payout of real or virtual currency. The payout is calculated as a function of a pay table and is associated with the resulting position of reels and/or other graphical elements displayed to a user of the system. In an example embodiment, a bonus round may have a horse race graphic that ultimately corresponds to a specific payout. Similarly, in other casino games (land based or network based) such as poker, roulette, etc., the payout is made in cash, chips (a surrogate for cash) or a virtual currency.

In some embodiments of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system, the direct payment of cash, credits, or virtual currency may not occur. Instead, the wagering outcome is associated with a purchasing event that can be made by the user.

In some embodiments, an advantage of the system over conventional systems is that the value of a prize as perceived by the user is higher than the cost to provide the prize due to profit margin built into the prize itself. For example, a dinner that is worth $200 to a user may only cost the restaurant $100 to provide. In other embodiments, an additional benefit of the system is that it creates traffic within an operator's merchants, or within a group of online merchants, creating an opportunity to capture additional revenue from the user. In an example embodiment, a user who wins a free pair of shoes at a store may also buy a scarf or a second pair of shoes when picking them up later that day. In some embodiments, the system also provides the opportunity for merchants to introduce users to products or services that they might not otherwise be aware of or choose to purchase of their own accord.

The asymmetric nature of the cost vs. value of prizes noted above means that users may experience a higher effective return to player (RTP) from their perspective than otherwise, while the operator can potentially experience a lower effective RTP.

FIG. 10 is a diagram of processes and components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

In some embodiments, the system comprises an interactive controller, an application controller, and a wager controller, each as described herein. In some embodiments, the interactive controller provides an interactive application. In some embodiments, the interactive application is an interactive game. In some embodiments, the interactive game is a skill based game. In some embodiments, the interactive game is a chance based game.

The user may be offered the opportunity to purchase one or more goods or services at a particular price point, said purchase being available for immediate or future delivery. The good or service may be offered directly by the operator providing the wagering controller, or a third party merchant. The price point may vary as a function of the wagering mechanic outcome. That is, the price of the item can vary based on the likelihood of a given wagering outcome.

The purchase price for the good or service that is to be borne by the user can be paid using real currency credit, virtual credit, or any other in-application form of currency.

The interactive controller provides the interactive application (1202). In some embodiments, the interactive controller is a part of a device associated with a user. In some embodiments, providing the interactive application includes providing a display of the interactive application and allowing input from the user.

The user initiates a wagering event (1204). In some embodiments, during execution of the interactive application, the user initiates a wagering event by providing an indication to the interactive controller triggering the wagering event. In some embodiments, the interactive controller communicates a wager request to the application controller. The application controller receives, from the interactive controller, the wager request. In some embodiments, the wager request is included in application telemetry communicated from the interactive controller to the application controller.

In some embodiments, the application telemetry including the wager request follows an application telemetry protocol. In some embodiments, the application telemetry protocol includes application telemetry. In some embodiments, the application telemetry protocol includes a user identification associated with the user. In some embodiments, the application telemetry protocol includes an interactive application identifier associated with the interactive application. In some embodiments, the application telemetry protocol is a string. In some embodiments, the string is a concatenation of the elements included in the application telemetry protocol.

In some embodiments, the application controller scans the received application telemetry for a wager request. In some embodiments, when a wager is triggered, the application controller communicates, to the wager controller, a wager execution instructions. The wager controller receives, from the application controller, the wager execution instructions. In some embodiments, the wager execution instructions follow a wager request protocol. In some embodiments, the wager request protocol includes a wager amount. In some embodiments, the wager request protocol includes the user identification. In some embodiments, the wager request protocol includes an indication of credit currency associated with the wager. In some embodiments, the wager request protocol is a string. In some embodiments, the string is a concatenation of the elements included in the wager request protocol.

A wagering outcome is determined (1206). In some embodiments, the wagering outcome is determined by the wager controller. In some embodiments, the wagering outcome is determined based on the wager request. In some embodiments, the wagering outcome is communicated from the wager controller to the application controller. The application controller receives, from the wager controller, the wagering outcome. In some embodiments, the wagering outcome communication follows a wagering outcome protocol. In some embodiments, the wagering outcome protocol includes an amount won or lost in the wagering outcome. In some embodiments, the wagering outcome protocol includes a credit currency associated with the wagering outcome. In some embodiments, the wagering outcome protocol includes the user identification. In some embodiments, the wagering outcome protocol includes the interactive application identification. In some embodiments, the wagering outcome protocol is a string. In some embodiments, the string is a concatenation of the elements included in the wagering outcome protocol.

The application controller scans the wagering outcome communication for the wagering outcome. In some embodiments, the application controller communicates the wagering outcome communication to the interactive controller. The interactive controller receives, from the application controller, the wagering outcome. The interactive controller displays the wagering outcome (1208).

The application controller determines a purchase offer based on the wagering outcome received from the wager controller. In some embodiments, the purchase offer is generated by an alternate payment controller and received by the application controller from the alternate payment controller. The application controller communicates a purchase offer communication to the interactive controller. The purchase offer communication includes the purchase offer. The interactive controller displays the purchase offer and presents the purchase offer to the user (1210).

The user makes a purchase based on the purchase offer (1212). The user, in making the purchase, enters payment (1214). In some embodiments, the payment is made using credits associated with a user account associated with the user (1216). In some embodiments, the payment is made using a credit card (1218). In some embodiments, the payment is made using cash (1220). In some embodiments, the payment is made using real currency credits or virtual currency credits (1222).

When the user has completed the purchase, the interactive application interaction continues (1224). Interactive application interaction also continues when the user declines to make a purchase.

In some embodiments, the alternate payment controller is outside of a regulated environment and the wager controller is within a regulated environment. In some embodiments, the wager controller communicates directly with the alternate payment controller in order to process payment associated with the user.

FIG. 11 is a diagram of processes and components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

In some embodiments, the system comprises an interactive controller, an application controller, and a wager controller, each as described herein. In some embodiments, the interactive controller provides an interactive application. In some embodiments, the interactive application is an interactive game. In some embodiments, the interactive game is a skill based game. In some embodiments, the interactive game is a chance based game. In some embodiments, the good or service is rewarded directly to the user without the need for further remuneration from the user.

The interactive controller provides the interactive application (1302). The user initiates a wagering event, as described herein (1304). In some embodiments, application telemetry including the wager request is communicated from the interactive controller to the application controller, and follows an application telemetry protocol.

In some embodiments, the application controller scans the received application telemetry for a wager request, and when a wager is triggered, the application controller communicates, to the wager controller, a wager execution instructions. The wager controller receives, from the application controller, the wager execution instructions. In some embodiments, the wager execution instructions follow a wager request protocol, as described herein.

A wagering outcome is determined (1306). In some embodiments, the wagering outcome is communicated from the wager controller to the application controller. The application controller receives, from the wager controller, the wagering outcome. In some embodiments, the wagering outcome communication follows a wagering outcome protocol, as described herein.

The application controller scans the wagering outcome communication for the wagering outcome. In some embodiments, the application controller communicates the wagering outcome communication to the interactive controller. The interactive controller receives, from the application controller, the wagering outcome. The interactive controller displays the wagering outcome (1308).

The application controller also communicates a good or service to the user (1310). In some embodiments, the good or service awarded is based on the wagering outcome. In some embodiments, the good or service is received by the application controller from an alternate payment controller, as described herein. In some embodiments, the application controller communicates the good or service to the interactive controller. When the user has received the good or service, the interactive application interaction continues (1312).

In some embodiments, the alternate payment controller is outside of a regulated environment and the wager controller is within a regulated environment. In some embodiments, the wager controller communicates directly with the alternate payment controller in order to process payment associated with the user.

FIG. 12 is a diagram of processes and components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

In some embodiments, the system comprises an interactive controller, an application controller, and a wager controller, each as described herein. In some embodiments, the interactive controller provides an interactive application. In some embodiments, the interactive application is an interactive game. In some embodiments, the interactive game is a skill based game. In some embodiments, the interactive game is a chance based game.

In some embodiments, the purchasing event outcome of a wagering mechanic may only relate to certain winning outcomes of the gambling game, and certain winning outcomes of the wagering mechanic may provide payment of real currency credit or virtual currency credit. For example, it may only be that certain, less likely, wagering outcomes lead to the purchasing event outcome.

The interactive controller provides the interactive application (1402). In some embodiments, the interactive controller is a part of a device associated with a user. In some embodiments, providing the interactive application includes providing a display of the interactive application and allowing input from the user. The user initiates a wagering event (1404). In some embodiments, during execution of the interactive application, the user initiates a wagering event by providing an indication to the interactive controller triggering the wagering event. In some embodiments, the interactive controller communicates a wager request to the application controller. The application controller receives, from the interactive controller, the wager request. In some embodiments, the wager request is included in application telemetry communicated from the interactive controller to the application controller. In some embodiments, the application telemetry including the wager request follows an application telemetry protocol, as described herein.

In some embodiments, the application controller scans the received application telemetry for a wager request. In some embodiments, when a wager is triggered, the application controller communicates, to the wager controller, a wager execution instructions. The wager controller receives, from the application controller, the wager execution instructions. In some embodiments, the wager execution instructions follow a wager request protocol, as described herein.

A wagering outcome is determined (1406). In some embodiments, the wagering outcome is determined by the wager controller. In some embodiments, the wagering outcome is determined based on the wager request. In some embodiments, the wagering outcome is communicated from the wager controller to the application controller. The application controller receives, from the wager controller, the wagering outcome. In some embodiments, the wagering outcome communication follows a wagering outcome protocol, as described herein.

The application controller scans the wagering outcome communication for the wagering outcome. In some embodiments, the application controller communicates the wagering outcome communication to the interactive controller. The interactive controller receives, from the application controller, the wagering outcome. The interactive controller displays the wagering outcome (1408).

The application controller determines whether a purchase offer is generated based on the wagering outcome (1410). When a purchase offer is generated based on the wagering outcome, it is generated by an alternate payment controller and received by the application controller from the alternate payment controller. The application controller communicates a purchase offer communication to the interactive controller. The purchase offer communication includes the purchase offer. The interactive controller displays the purchase offer and presents the purchase offer to the user (1412).

The user makes a purchase based on the purchase offer (1414). The user, in making the purchase, enters payment (1416). In some embodiments, the payment is made using credits associated with a user account associated with the user (1418). In some embodiments, the payment is made using a credit card (1420). In some embodiments, the payment is made using cash (1422). In some embodiments, the payment is made using real currency credits or virtual currency credits (1424).

When the user has completed the purchase, the interactive application interaction continues (1426). Interactive application interaction also continues when the user declines to make a purchase or the wagering outcome does not generate a purchase offer.

In some embodiments, the alternate payment controller is outside of a regulated environment and the wager controller is within a regulated environment. In some embodiments, the wager controller communicates directly with the alternate payment controller in order to process payment associated with the user.

FIG. 13 is a diagram of processes and components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

In some embodiments, the system comprises an interactive controller, an application controller, and a wager controller, each as described herein. In some embodiments, the interactive controller provides an interactive application. In some embodiments, the interactive application is an interactive game. In some embodiments, the interactive game is a skill based game. In some embodiments, the interactive game is a chance based game.

In some embodiments, merchants may bid to provide the good or service to satisfy the wagering mechanic winning outcome. In some embodiments, the bidding process is a real-time process. In some embodiments, the bidding process is an asynchronous process. This bidding process can include not only the good or service itself, but can lead to variants in the price or terms of service (e.g., delivery). In some embodiments, the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system mediates the bids from merchants to ultimately present one or more such options to the user in the context of the wagering mechanic winning outcome.

The products and/or services offered in the alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system may be provided on a real-time bid basis as described herein, and/or an inventory of available prizes can be established by the operator and/or partner merchants on a real time and/or discrete basis (e.g., daily, hourly, monthly).

The cost of the good or service being provided may be borne in whole or in part by the operator, or it can be financed in whole or in part by a merchant, or it can be borne in whole or in part by the user.

The interactive controller provides the interactive application (1502). In some embodiments, the interactive controller is a part of a device associated with a user. In some embodiments, providing the interactive application includes providing a display of the interactive application and allowing input from the user.

The user initiates a wagering event (1504). In some embodiments, during execution of the interactive application, the user initiates a wagering event by providing an indication to the interactive controller triggering the wagering event. In some embodiments, the interactive controller communicates a wager request to the application controller. The application controller receives, from the interactive controller, the wager request. In some embodiments, the wager request is included in application telemetry communicated from the interactive controller to the application controller. In some embodiments, the application telemetry including the wager request follows an application telemetry protocol, as described herein.

In some embodiments, the application controller scans the received application telemetry for a wager request. In some embodiments, when a wager is triggered, the application controller communicates, to the wager controller, a wager execution instructions. The wager controller receives, from the application controller, the wager execution instructions. In some embodiments, the wager execution instructions follow a wager request protocol, as described herein.

A wagering outcome is determined (1506). In some embodiments, the wagering outcome is determined by the wager controller. In some embodiments, the wagering outcome is determined based on the wager request. In some embodiments, the wagering outcome is communicated from the wager controller to the application controller. The application controller receives, from the wager controller, the wagering outcome. In some embodiments, the wagering outcome communication follows a wagering outcome protocol, as described herein.

The application controller scans the wagering outcome communication for the wagering outcome. In some embodiments, the application controller communicates the wagering outcome communication to the interactive controller. The interactive controller receives, from the application controller, the wagering outcome. The interactive controller displays the wagering outcome (1508).

The application controller determines a purchase offer based on the wagering outcome received from the wager controller. In some embodiments, the purchase offer is generated by an alternate payment controller and received by the application controller from the alternate payment controller. In some embodiments, the alternate payment controller includes a bidding process 1534. The bidding process may include inputs from merchants 1528, service providers 1530, or operators 1532. In some embodiments, the bidding process determines a single purchase offer to present the user.

The application controller communicates a purchase offer communication to the interactive controller. The purchase offer communication includes the purchase offer. The interactive controller displays the purchase offer and presents the purchase offer to the user (1512).

The user makes a purchase based on the purchase offer (1514). The user, in making the purchase, enters payment (1516). In some embodiments, the payment is made using credits associated with a user account associated with the user (1518). In some embodiments, the payment is made using a credit card (1520). In some embodiments, the payment is made using cash (1522). In some embodiments, the payment is made using real currency credits or virtual currency credits (1524).

When the user has completed the purchase, the interactive application interaction continues (1526). Interactive application interaction also continues when the user declines to make a purchase.

In some embodiments, the alternate payment controller is outside of a regulated environment and the wager controller is within a regulated environment. In some embodiments, the wager controller communicates directly with the alternate payment controller in order to process payment associated with the user.

FIG. 14 is a sequence diagram of interactions between components of an alternate payment mechanism interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

In some embodiments, the system comprises an interactive controller 1602, an application controller 1604, a wager controller 1606, and an alternate payment controller 1608, each as described herein. In some embodiments, the interactive controller 1602 provides an interactive application. In some embodiments, the interactive application is an interactive game. In some embodiments, the interactive game is a skill based game. In some embodiments, the interactive game is a chance based game.

During execution of the interactive application, a user may initiate a wagering event by providing an indication to the interactive controller 1602 triggering the wagering event. In some embodiments, the interactive controller 1602 communicates an application telemetry communication to the application controller 1604 (1610). The application telemetry includes a wager request based on the indication to trigger the wagering event. The application controller 1604 receives, from the interactive controller 1602, the application telemetry communication. In some embodiments, the application telemetry communication including the wager request follows an application telemetry protocol, as described herein.

In some embodiments, the application controller 1606 scans the received application telemetry communication to determine if a wager should be executed. When the application controller 1604 determines that a wager should be executed, the application controller generates wager execution instructions. The application controller 1604 instructs the wager controller 1606 to execute a wager by communicating to the wager controller 1606, the wager execution instructions (1612). The wager controller 1606 receives, from the application controller 1604, the wager execution instructions (1612). In some embodiments, the wager execution instructions follow a wager request protocol, as described herein.

A wagering outcome is determined by the wager controller 1606 based on the wager request (1614). The wager controller 1606 communicates, to the application controller 1604, a wagering outcome communication (1616). The application controller 1604 receives, from the wager controller 1606, the wagering outcome communication. In some embodiments, the wagering outcome communication follows a wagering outcome protocol, as described herein.

The application controller 1604 scans the wagering outcome communication for the wagering outcome. In some embodiments, the application controller 1604 communicates the wagering outcome communication to the interactive controller 1602 (1622). The interactive controller 1602 receives, from the application controller 1604, the wagering outcome communication (1622). The interactive controller 1602 displays the wagering outcome.

The application controller 1604 determines an alternate payment request based on the wagering outcome received from the wager controller 1606. In some embodiments, the alternate payment request is for a good or service. In some embodiments, the alternate payment request is for a purchase offer. The application controller 1604 communicates, to an alternate payment controller 1608, an alternate payment request instruction (1618). The alternate payment controller 1608 receives, from the application controller 1604, the alternate payment request instruction (1618).

An alternate payment offer is generated by the alternate payment controller 1608 and communicated to the application controller 1604 (1620). The application controller 1604 receives the alternate payment offer from the alternate payment controller 1608 (1620). The application controller 1604 communicates an alternate payment offer communication to the interactive controller 1602 (1624). The interactive controller 1602 receives, from the application controller 1604, the alternative payment offer (1624). The alternative payment offer communication includes the alternative payment offer. The interactive controller 1602 displays the alternative payment offer and presents the alternative payment offer to the user (1626).

If the alternative payment offer is a good or service, the good or service is given to the user. If the alternative payment offer is a purchase offer, the user makes a purchase based on the purchase offer. In some embodiments, the purchase offer is a link to the good or service associated with the purchase offer. In some embodiments, the interactive controller 1602 determines the link and generates a display incorporating the link. The generated display is presented to the user.

In some embodiments, an indicia of value associated with the alternate payment offer is generated by the interactive controller 1602 and presented to the user. In some embodiments, the indicia of value is a printed ticket reflecting the alternate payment offer. In some embodiments, the indicia of value is a discount on a good or service. In some embodiments, the indicia of value is a voucher for a good or service. In some embodiments, the indicia of value is emailed to the user and/or communicated to an account associated with the user.

In making the purchase, the interactive controller 1602 communicates, to the application controller 1604, an indication that the alternative payment offer is accepted (1628). In some embodiments, the payment is made using credits associated with a user account associated with the user. In some embodiments, the payment is made using a credit card. In some embodiments, the payment is made using cash. In some embodiments, the payment is made using real currency credits or virtual currency credits.

The application controller 1604 receives, from the interactive controller 1602, the alternative payment offer acceptance communication (1628). The application controller 1604 scans the alternative payment offer acceptance communication for an alternative payment offer acceptance. The application controller 1604 may also scan the alternative payment offer acceptance communication for payment information.

The application controller 1604 generates an alternate payment offer acceptance instruction based on the received alternative payment offer acceptance. The application controller 1604 communicates, to the alternate payment controller 1608, the alternate payment offer acceptance instruction (1630). The alternate payment controller 1608 receives, from the application controller 1604, the alternate payment offer acceptance instruction (1630).

The alternate payment controller 1608 scans the credit meter adjustment instruction for the alternate payment offer acceptance. The alternate payment controller 1608 generates a credit meter adjustment instruction based on the alternate payment offer acceptance. The alternate payment controller 1608 communicates, to the wager controller 1606, the credit meter adjustment instruction (1632). The wager controller 1606 receives, from the alternate payment controller 1608, the credit meter adjustment instruction (1632). The credit meter adjustment instruction includes payment information.

In some embodiments, the alternate payment controller 1608 is outside of a regulated environment and the wager controller 1606 is within a regulated environment. In some embodiments, the interactive controller 1602 is outside of a regulated environment. In some embodiments, the wager controller 1606 reconfigures in order to perform interactions with the alternate payment controller 1608, which is outside of the regulated environment. In some embodiments, the wager controller 1606 reconfigures in order to obscure access to a pseudo-random or random number generator.

In some embodiments, the wager controller 1606 performs conventional processing to determine a wager outcome, and the application controller 1604 generates the alternative payment offer based on the wager outcome and communication received from the alternate payment controller 1608.

In an example embodiment, a women's shoe themed system includes a wagering mechanism that includes three reels, each of which contains images of various styles of specific shoes available at a women's apparel store on the operator property site. Images may include, for example, a black pump, a red flat, leather boots, etc. The shoes may be thematically very similar (e.g., all from one brand or of a certain style), or they can be diverse. The user may be able to configure the slot machine to reflect a certain style or brand of shoe of interest. The user may also be able to provide specific size information which would be used to check against available shoe inventory to only display products that are available for immediate purchase.

The user inserts money into the machine, and trigger spinning of the reels. A winning wager result shows the picture of the same shoe on each reel, with a 50% off graphic on each. The user now has the opportunity to buy the shoes shown for 50% off the price they are usually sold for in the store. The purchase can take place one of a number of ways, or a combination of two or more of the below:

The user pays for the shoes using real currency credit or virtual currency credit within the system.

The user enters a credit card into a device associated with the system.

The user charges the shoes to the user's room or player's club account.

The user enters additional cash into the device.

In some embodiments, the shoes can then be picked up at the store, or delivered directly to the user or to the user's room. In some embodiments, the shoes could also be shipped to an address of the user's choosing. In some embodiments, the shipping costs could be borne by the store, the operator, the user, or won by the user in whole or in part as part of the wagering outcome. In an example embodiment, the user can win free shipping during the user's interaction with the system and apply it to a subsequent purchase.

In another embodiment, a system with a restaurant theme contains iconography associated with all of the restaurants within a given casino group's properties in the locale of interest. The user can win a discounted dinner or win the dinner outright.

In another embodiment, a virtual wagering mechanic can be associated with an online merchant. Users can win discounts (from 0 to 100%) on various goods and services sold by that merchant.

In another embodiment, the wagering mechanic is presented after the user makes a choice to purchase a specific good or service online. The user can choose to participate in a wagering mechanic (for virtual or real credit currency from the user or financed by the merchant) that may lead to a discount on the good or service being purchased, and/or a future benefit. In an example embodiment, the future benefit is a discount on a subsequent purchase or a different good or service outright.

In another embodiment, a merchant could periodically send a solicitation such as an e-mail to a prospective customer, in a state where it is legal, that allows for the prospective customer to wager a designated dollar amount upon receipt, and determine whether they have won a discount on an item that they could elect to buy at that moment.

While the above description may include many specific embodiments of the invention, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as examples of embodiments thereof. It is therefore to be understood that the present invention can be practiced otherwise than specifically described, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. Thus, embodiments of the present invention described herein should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. 

What is claimed:
 1. An alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system, comprising: a player's gaming device operatively connected to an application controller, the player's gaming device configured to: communicate, to the application controller, an application telemetry communication comprising a wager request; scan a wager outcome instruction, from the application controller, for a wager outcome; display the wager outcome; scan an alternate payment offer instruction, from the application controller, for an alternate payment offer, wherein the alternate payment offer is an offer to the player to make a purchase instead of receiving the wager outcome; display the alternate payment offer; and communicate, to the application controller, an indication of acceptance of the alternate payment offer communication; a real credit controller operatively connected to the application controller, the real credit controller constructed to: scan wager execution instructions, from the application controller, for the wager request; determine the wager outcome based on the wager request; communicate, to the application controller, a wager outcome communication comprising the wager outcome; and the application controller operatively connecting the player's gaming device and the real credit controller by a network, the application controller constructed to: scan the application telemetry communication, from the player's gaming device, for the wager request; communicate, to the real credit controller, the wager execution instructions comprising the wager request; scan the wager outcome communication, from the real credit controller, for the wager outcome; communicate, to the player's gaming device, the wager outcome instruction comprising the wager outcome; communicate, to an alternate payment controller, an alternate payment request instruction comprising an alternate payment request based on the wager outcome; scan an alternate payment offer communication, from the alternate payment controller, for the alternate payment offer; communicate, to the player's gaming device, the alternate payment offer instruction comprising the alternate payment offer; scan the indication of acceptance of the alternative payment offer communication, from the player's gaming device, for an acceptance of the alternate payment offer; and communicate, to the alternate payment controller, an alternative payment offer acceptance instruction based on the acceptance of the alternate payment offer; and the alternate payment controller operatively connected to the application controller, the alternate payment controller constructed to: receive the alternate payment request instruction, from the application controller; mediate a bidding process using inputs received from merchants; generate the alternate payment offer communication based on the bidding process; and distribute, to the application controller, the alternate payment offer communication.
 2. The alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system of claim 1, wherein the player's gaming device and the application controller are constructed from a same device, and wherein the application controller is operatively connected to the real credit controller using a communication link.
 3. The alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system of claim 1, wherein the real credit controller and the application controller are constructed from a same device, and wherein the application controller is operatively connected to the player's gaming device using a communication link.
 4. The alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system of claim 1, wherein the alternate payment offer includes is a discount on a good or service.
 5. The alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system of claim 1, wherein the alternate payment offer is an offer of a good or service instead of the wager outcome.
 6. The alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system of claim 1, wherein the real credit controller is constructed to: scan a credit meter adjustment communication, from the alternate payment controller, for a credit meter adjustment; and adjust one or more meters associated with a user based on the credit meter adjustment, wherein the user is associated with the interactive controller.
 7. The alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system of claim 1, wherein the indication of acceptance of the alternate payment offer communication comprises payment information associated with a user associated with the interactive controller.
 8. The alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system of claim 1, wherein the alternate payment controller is in an unregulated environment and the real credit controller is in a regulated environment.
 9. An alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system, comprising: a real credit controller of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system, operatively connected to an application controller, the real credit controller constructed to: scan wager execution instructions, from the application controller, for a wager request; determine a wager outcome based on the wager request; communicate, to the application controller, a wager outcome communication comprising the wager outcome; and the application controller of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system operatively connecting the real credit controller to a player's gaming device using a communication link, the application controller constructed to: scan an application telemetry communication, from the player's gaming device, for the wager request; communicate, to the real credit controller, the wager execution instructions comprising the wager request; scan the wager outcome communication, from the real credit controller, for the wager outcome; communicate, to the player's gaming device, a wager outcome instruction comprising the wager outcome, wherein the player's gaming device displays the wager outcome; communicate, to an alternate payment controller, an alternate payment request instruction comprising an alternate payment request based on the wager outcome, wherein the alternate payment offer is an offer to the player to make a purchase instead of receiving the wager outcome; scan an alternate payment offer communication, from the alternate payment controller, for an alternate payment offer; communicate, to the player's gaming device, an alternate payment offer instruction comprising the alternate payment offer, wherein the player's gaming device displays the alternate payment offer; scan an indication of acceptance of the alternate payment offer communication, from the player's gaming device, for an acceptance of the alternate payment offer; and communicate, to the alternate payment controller, an alternate payment offer acceptance instruction based on the acceptance of the alternate payment offer; and the alternate payment controller operatively connected to the application controller, the alternate payment controller constructed to: receive the alternate payment request instruction, from the application controller; mediate a bidding process using inputs received from merchants; generate the alternate payment offer communication based on the bidding process; and distribute, to the application controller, the alternate payment offer communication.
 10. The alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system of claim 9, wherein the alternate payment offer includes a discount on a good or service.
 11. The alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system of claim 9, wherein the alternate payment offer is an offer of a good or service.
 12. The alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system of claim 9, wherein the real credit controller is constructed to: scan a credit meter adjustment communication, from the alternate payment controller, for a credit meter adjustment; and adjust one or more meters associated with a user based on the credit meter adjustment, wherein the user is associated with the player's gaming device.
 13. The alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system of claim 9, wherein the indication of acceptance of the alternate payment offer communication comprises payment information associated with a user associated with the player's gaming device.
 14. The alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system of claim 9, wherein the alternate payment controller is in an unregulated environment and the real credit controller is in a regulated environment.
 15. An alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system, comprising: a player's gaming device of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system configured to: communicate, to an application controller, an application telemetry communication comprising a wager request; scan a wager outcome instruction, from the application controller, for a wager outcome; display the wager outcome; scan an alternate payment offer instruction, from the application controller, for an alternate payment offer, wherein the alternate payment offer is an offer to the player to make a purchase instead of receiving the wager outcome; display the alternate payment offer; and communicate, to the application controller, an indication of acceptance of the alternate payment offer communication; and the application controller of the alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system operatively connecting the player's gaming device to a real credit controller, the application controller constructed to: scan the application telemetry communication, from the player's gaming device, for the wager request; communicate, to the real credit controller, a wager execution instructions comprising the wager request; scan a wager outcome communication, from the real credit controller, for a wager outcome; communicate, to the player's gaming device, the wager outcome instruction comprising the wager outcome; communicate, to an alternate payment controller, an alternate payment request instruction comprising an alternate payment request based on the wager outcome; scan an alternate payment offer communication, from the alternate payment controller, for the alternate payment offer; communicate, to the player's gaming device, the alternate payment offer instruction comprising the alternate payment offer; scan the indication of acceptance of the alternate payment offer communication, from the player's gaming device, for an acceptance of the alternate payment offer; and communicate, to the alternate payment controller, an alternate payment offer acceptance instruction based on the acceptance of the alternate payment offer; and the alternate payment controller operatively connected to the application controller, the alternate payment controller constructed to: receive the alternate payment request instruction, from the application controller; mediate a bidding process using inputs received from merchants; generate the alternate payment offer communication based on the bidding process; and distribute, to the application controller, the alternate payment offer communication.
 16. The alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system of claim 15, wherein the alternate payment offer includes a discount on a good or service.
 17. The alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system of claim 15, wherein the alternate payment offer is an offer of a good or service.
 18. The alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system of claim 15, wherein the indication of acceptance of the alternate payment offer is received from a user associated with the player's gaming device.
 19. The alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system of claim 15, wherein the indication of acceptance of the alternate payment offer communication comprises payment information associated with a user associated with the player's gaming device.
 20. The alternate payment mechanism interleaved skill wagering gaming system of claim 15, wherein the alternate payment controller is in an unregulated environment and the real credit controller is in a regulated environment. 